The Times-Picayune 02-05-2026

Higher utilitybills likely

DeltaUtilities says soaringgas prices to blamefor La.hikes

BY SAM KARLIN

Staff writer

The blast of winter weather that brought ice and freezing temperatures to Louisiana will likely cause prolonged spikesinutility bills, aresult of the state’sdominant gas and electric supplier facing soaring prices in recent weeks for natural gas.

The state’slargest gas supplier,Delta Utilities, warned that bills will risein the coming months after prices on the spot market—where the company goes to supplement its existing contracts during times of high usage— soared to all-time highs in late January. Meanwhile, consumer advocates

say Entergy electric bills arelikely to follow suit.Entergy relies heavily on naturalgas to fuel its power plants, getting nearly two-thirds of itsenergy that way.The company passes on allfuelcosts to customers, making it likely residents will pay for the higher gas prices.

Natural gas prices have steadily ticked upward in recent months, but their latest surge cameatthe same time Louisiana customers were using moregas to stay warm while bitter winter weather blasted through the region. And the state’s dominant utilities havebeen underthe spotlightfor customer complaintsabout high prices,outages and the controversialsale

last summer of Entergy’sgas business to Delta.

Utilities here have long betbig on natural gas as acheap and abundant resource, withasprawling network of pipelinesmaking it easytospin up power plantsaround thestate. Butperiodic price shocksand storms over thepastfew yearshave ignited debates over how the state should best manageits power supply.Cyclical rising costs have prompted some advocates to question whether the state is overreliant on natural gas.

“This is aproblemwe’ve been trying to highlight for bothregulators

HORSINGAROUND

ABOVE: NewOrleans Police Department

Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrickholds Patch themini horse as Katheryne Rosamond and Oliver Rosamond, 2, pet Patch during the 16th Annual Horses, Hops &CopsFundraiser benefittingthe NOPD mounted unit at the NOPD horse stables on Wednesday.

RIGHT: Virginia Baker-Marchiori, Nicholas Marchiori, 8, and Olly Burnette pose with one of the Budweiser Clydesdales during Wednesday’sevent.

NOPD popularity risesamid drop in crime

Polled residents report feelingsafer

BY MARCO CARTOLANO and JONI HESS Staff writers

The NewOrleans Police Department’spopularity among residents continues to rise as violent crime remains dramatically lowerthan its 2022 peak, according to asurvey commissioned by the New Orleans CrimeCoalition.

Amajority of the roughly 800 adults interviewed for the survey said they were very or somewhat satisfied with the NOPD —55% up eight points from aJune 2025 surveyand asignificantincrease from 2023, when the department’s approval rating bottomed out at 31%.Thatsurveywas taken less than ayear after the city’smurder rate led the nation in 2022.

The numbers rival those gathered before the pandemic when thesatisfaction rating averaged 56% from 2016 to 2020.

“We’re encouraged by recent survey results showing New Orleanians reporting they feel safer and more satisfied with policing in theirneighborhoods,” NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said in astatement.

“Trust is built through

ä See NOPD, page 7A

TheHallofFamecasefor legendarySaint Drew Brees

When Iasked Luke Kuechly about Drew Brees’ Pro Football HallofFame credentials, he didn’tmince words.

“He’sanobrainer,” said Kuechly,the great Carolina Panthers linebacker,who battled Brees twice annuallyduring his stellar career.“If Drew Brees doesn’tget in on first ballot,we should be asking, ‘What are we

Jeff Duncan

doing here?’” Brees, whoisone of 15 finalists for theHall’sClass of 2026, deserves to be the first Saint to earn hisgold jacket on thefirst ballot As the representative for New

Orleansonthe ProFootball Hall of Fame selection committee, it’s my dutytomake the presentation for Brees to the rest of the group. Ididn’tneed 5minutes to make thecase for his Hall of Fame candidacy Brees’ resume speaks foritself. It stands out, even when compared to thegame’slegends. His career was one of the most significant in NFL history When Brees arrived in 2006, theSaints were amoribund

franchise. He took ateam that had gone 3-13 theyear before and led it to adivision title and its first NFCChampionship Game appearance, authoring one of the greatest turnarounds the league has ever seen. And he did it only monthsremoved from a career-threatening shoulder injury.Hefinished second in thevoting for theleague’sMost Valuable

ä See BREES, page 7A

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Senator resists plans for detention center in Miss.

Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., is sending a letter to Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem to voice hisoppositiontoplansthatwould turn a warehouse facility in a town in the northwest part of his state near Memphis into an immigration detention center.

Wicker notes that he supports “the enforcement of immigration law,” but that he is concerned the center would disrupt a site planned for “job creation, private investment, and longterm economic growth.” He also raised concerns that the local resourcesandinfrastructurecould not support a facility planned to hold over 8,500 people at a time Wicker’s position is some of the highest-profile pushback to the Trump administration’s plans to dramatically scale up immigration detention capacity. Local officials have been raising similar concerns across several states.

California congressional map allowed to stand

WASHINGTON The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed California to use a new voterapproved congressional map that is favorable to Democrats in this year’s elections, rejecting a last-ditch plea from state Republicans and the Trump administration.

No justices dissented from the brief order denying the appeal without explanation, which is common on the court’s emergency docket.

The justices had previously allowed Texas’ Republicanfriendly map to be used in 2026, despite a lower-court ruling that it likely discriminates on the basis of race.

Conservative Justice Samuel Alito wrote in December that it appeared both states had adopted new maps for political advantage, which the high court has previously ruled cannot be a basis for a federal lawsuit.

Republicans, joined by the Trump administration, claimed the California map improperly relied on race as well. But a lower court disagreed by a 2-1 vote. The Justice Department and White House did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Lawsuit tries to block Utah congressional map

SALT LAKE CITY With the deadline to file for reelection a little over a month away, two of Utah’s Republican members of Congress are asking a federal court to block the use of new U.S. House districts that could significantly boost Democrats’ chances of winning a Salt Lake City-area seat in November A lawsuit filed late Monday by U.S. Reps. Celeste Maloy and Burgess Owens and nearly a dozen local officials contends a state judge violated the U.S. Constitution last year when she rejected congressional districts drawn by the Republican-led state Legislature and instead imposed an alternative map submitted by groups suing the Legislature.

The U.S. Constitution and Utah Constitution both give redistricting powers to the state Legislature, the lawsuit asserts, and “courts have no authority to draw a congressional map.” State Judge Dianna Gibson ruled in August that those districts violated standards approved by voters in 2018 to ensure districts don’t deliberately favor a party a practice known as gerrymandering.

Attempted Trump assassin gets life

Man convicted of trying to shoot him at golf course

BY DAVID FISCHER Associated Press

FORT PIERCE,Fla.— A man convicted of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump on a Florida golf course in 2024 was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison after a federal prosecutor said his crime was unacceptable “in this country or anywhere.”

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon pronounced Ryan Routh’s fate in the same Fort Pierce courtroom that erupted into chaos in September when he tried to stab himself shortly after jurors found him guilty on all counts

“American democracy does not work when individuals take it into their own hands to eliminate candidates. That’s what this individual

tried to do” Assistant U.S. Attorney John Shipley told the judge.

Defense attorney Martin L. Roth argued that “at the moment of truth, he chose not to pull the trigger.”

The judge pushed back, noting Routh’s history of arrests, to which Roth said, “He’s a complex person, I’ll give the court that, but he has a very good core.”

Routh then read from a rambling, 20-page statement.

Cannon broke in, said none of what he was saying was relevant and gave him five more minutes to talk.

“I did everything I could and lived a good life,” Routh said, before the judge cut him off.

“Your plot to kill was deliberate and evil,” she said. “You are not a peaceful man. You are not a good man.”

She then issued his sentence: Life without parole, plus seven

years on a gun charge. His sentences for his other three crimes will run concurrently

Routh’s sentencing was initially scheduled for December But Cannon agreed to move it back after Routh decided to use an attorney during the sentencing phase, instead of representing himself as he did for most of the trial.

Routh was convicted of trying to assassinate a major presidential candidate, using a firearm in furtherance of a crime, assaulting a federal officer, possessing a firearm as a felon and using a gun with a defaced serial number

“Routh remains unrepentant for his crimes, never apologized for the lives he put at risk, and his life demonstrates near-total disregard for law,” prosecutors said in their sentencing memo. Prosecutors said Routh spent weeks plotting to kill Trump before aiming a rifle through shrubbery as the Republican presidential candidate played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach

whom Shiite Muslims believe will return at the end of time as a universal reformer to end tyranny and promote justice.

Iran and U.S. will hold nuclear talks in Oman

BY JON GAMBRELL

Associated Press

DUBAI Nuclear talks between Iran and theUnitedStateswilltakeplaceFridayin Oman, the Iranian foreign minister said, as tensions between the countries remain high following Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests last month.

The announcement by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday came after hours of indications that the anticipated talks were faltering over changes in the format and content of the talks. “I’m grateful to our Omani brothers for making all necessary arrangements,” Araghchi wrote on X.

Earlier Wednesday a regional official said Iran was seeking a “different” type of meeting than that what had been proposed by Turkey, one focused exclusively on the issue of Iran’s nuclear program, with participation limited to Iran and the United States. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

The Trump administration confirmed the U.S. will take part in high-level talks with Iran in Oman instead of Turkey as originally planned, according to a White House official.

The official, who was not authorized to commentpubliclyandspokeonthecondition of anonymity, said that several Arab and Muslim leaders urged the Trump administration on Wednesday not to walk away from talks even as Iranian officials pressed to narrow the scope of talks and change the venue for the negotiations.

The official added that the White House

remains “very skeptical” that the talks will be successful but have agreed to go along with the change in plans out of respect for allies in the region.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. hoped to discuss a number of concerns beyond the nuclear issue, including discussions on Iran’s ballistic missiles, support for proxy networks across the region and the “treatment of their own people.”

Tensions between the countries spiked after President Donald Trump suggested the U.S. might use force against Iran in response to the crackdown on protesters Trump also has been pushing Tehran for a deal to constrain its nuclear program.

Iran’s reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday said he had instructed the foreign minister to “pursue fair and equitable negotiations” with the U.S., in the first clear sign from Tehran it wants to try to negotiate. That signaled the move is supported by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all matters of state and previously dismissed any negotiations.

Vice President JD Vance told “The Megyn Kelly Show” that diplomatic talks with Iran are challenging because of Tehran’s political system.

“It’s a very weird country to conduct diplomacy with when you can’t even talk to the person who’s in charge of the country. That makes all of this much more complicated, and it makes the whole situation much more absurd,” Vance said, noting that Trump could speak directly by phone with the leaders of Russia, China or North Korea.

Va. governor orders state agencies to end agreements with ICE

BY EMMA ROSE BROWN The Virginian-Pilot (TNS)

NORFOLK,Va. Gov Abigail Spanberger signed an executive directive requiring all state agencies to cancel their partnerships with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“Public trust is essential both to keep members of the community safe as well as to keep law enforcement safe. Here in the commonwealth, we want to make sure that we’re making a clear line in the sand about what is expected of our law enforcement officials,” Spanberger said Wednesday The directive applies to 287(g) agreements—contractswiththeDepartment

of Homeland Security that allow agents from state agencies to conduct immigration enforcement. The agents receive 40 hours or less of online training in immigration enforcement and law.

“I think that members of the Virginia State Police or members of the Department of Corrections should be working under and at the direction and supervision of the leadership within their agencies,” Spanberger said. “That doesn’t preclude any sort of coordination or task force-related work. That doesn’t preclude any federal agency coming with a judicial warrant and requesting assistance.” Spanberger previously signed an executive order rescinding former Gov.

Glenn Youngkin’s order requiring collaboration between state agencies and ICE.

Spanberger also signed an executive order Wednesday that clarifies priorities for state law enforcement agencies, including the importance of preserving public trust and not engaging in fearbased tactics. “The commitment by Virginia law enforcement to these overarching principles is readily apparent, and this executive order is intended to highlight their work in accordance with these principles and policies, particularly as we have witnessed recent tactics bysomefederallawenforcementagents that disregard these policies and threaten broader public trust in policing.”

country club.

At trial a Secret Service agent helping protect Trump on the golf course testified that he spotted Routh before Trump came into view Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and run away without firing a shot.

In the motion requesting an attorney, Routh offered to trade his life in a prisoner swap with people unjustly held in other countries and said an offer still stood for Trump to “take out his frustrations on my face.” Cannon signed off last summer on Routh’s request to represent himself.

The Supreme Court has held that defendants have the right to represent themselves in court proceedings as long as they can show a judge they are competent to waive their right to an attorney Routh’s former federal public defenders served as standby counsel and were present during the trial.

Suspect in shooting of 2 Guard members in D.C. pleads not guilty

BY JESSICA SCHLADEBECK New york Daily News (TNS)

The gunman accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., killing one and seriously wounding the other, has pleaded not guilty to the nine charges against him including first-degree murder Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who was also shot before he was taken into custody, made his brief court appearance Wednesday in a wheelchair and an orange jumpsuit, CNN reported. In addition to the murder charge, 29-year-old Lakanwal is also facing counts of transportation of a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with the intent to commit a felony, three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence or dangerous offense. The Department of Justice had said it will be seeking the death penalty in the case. On Nov 26, Lakanwal

allegedly used a powerful Smith & Wesson 357 Magnum to open fire on law enforcement blocks away from the White House. Both 24-year-old Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe and Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, were shot. The had been deployed as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on what it has called rampant crime in major cities across the U.S. Both Beckstrom and Wolfe each suffered a gunshot to the back of the head, according to a federal criminal complaint, cited by NBC News. Authorities have said that Lakanwal entered the U.S. in September 2021 through the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome initiative, a program that helped resettle Afghan allies who worked with the U.S. during the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. Lakanwal worked with the CIA by way of the “Zero Units,” a group of Afghan commandos tasked with missions planned by the agency

Routh

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By VAHID SALEMI

Carrying pictures of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, people attend a state-organized rally in Tehran, Iran, on Wednesday celebrating the birthday of Imam Mahdi, or ‘Hidden Imam,’ a 9th-century saint

La. death row inmate’s bid for new trial survives

BY JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writer

A Louisiana death row

inmate did not abandon his bid for a new trial by letting his petition gather dust for 20 years before a judge last year signed his death warrant, the Louisiana Supreme Court decided this week

The vote was unanimous to reject Attorney General Liz Murrill’s challenge in the case of Larry Roy, who is sentenced to die for the 1993 fatal stabbings of Freddie Richard Jr and Rosetta Silas at a home in Rapides Parish.

Roy’s was one of three death warrants signed last year at the behest of local district attorneys upon Gov Jeff Landry’s announcement that the state was fit to resume executions after a 15-year hiatus using a new method: nitrogen gassing

Judge Lowell Hazel, of the 9th Judicial District, at first granted District Attor-

ney Phillip Terrell’s request for a death warrant for Roy but then quickly recalled it, finding Roy hadn’t spent his appeals.

Murrill’s office countered that Roy had let his petition effectively lapse by waiting too long, prejudicing the state in its defense of the verdicts.

Terrell has pointed to an incident last year in which one of Roy’s surviving victims attacked the convicted killer in court, arguing the delays need to end Terrell said Wednesday that his office “is committed to do everything in our power to carry out the death sentence, and we will continue to do that” in Roy’s case. “We believe in this case, and we’re not going to let it go.”

Hazel blamed the District Attorney’s Office for the delay, however, finding “the prejudice was in the State’s control.”

Hazel also wrote that prosecutors committed a “grave error” when they falsely claimed that one of Roy’s trial attorneys was dead, then failed to correct the error after he turned up alive.

The Supreme Court didn’t explain its decision in Roy’s case Inaconcurringopinion, Chief Justice John Weimer found that Hazel “correctly rejected the state’s assertion that the passage of time is per se prejudicial.”

Roy’s attorney, Blythe Taplin, declined to comment on Wednesday Other death penalty cases

Attorney Matilde Carbia, of the Mwalimu Center for Justice, which represents dozens of death row inmates in Louisiana, said the court’s position could influence pending rulings in a few other death row cases.

They include that of Marcus Reed, who was condemned in Caddo Parish for the 2010 murder of three brothers; and former New Orleans Police Department Officer Antoinette Frank, she said.

Louisiana’s only woman on death row, Frank was convicted of one of the most notorious crimes in New Orleans history — the slayings of fellow police Officer Ronald Williams II, 17-year-old Cuong Vu and 24-year-old

HaVuattheKimAhnNoodle

House in New Orleans East

Her co-defendant, Rogers Lacaze, was removed from death row in a 2019 deal with former Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro.

Frank has argued that a lifetime of abuse at the hands of her father left her vulnerable to the influence of LaCaze, a drug dealer who she claims forced her to shoot the Vus.

Like in Roy’s case, Murrill has argued that Frank had the burden of moving her post-conviction case forward and failed.

The Republican attorney general downplayed Tuesday’s court ruling, calling it specific to Roy’s case.

“While the opinion is relevant to other cases as to how that statutory language is interpreted,” other factors prejudiced the state in many

of those cases, Murrill said.

“We expect to see the Supreme Court sort through a number of issues arising from these long-delayed proceedings,” Murrill said “We will continue to defend the conviction and seek justice for the victims of Larry Roy’s heinous actions.”

Time limits set on relief

The law has since changed over how long a defendant has to pursue post-conviction relief. The Legislature last year declared that a defendant must pursue their petitions in two years or “the delay is presumed to be prejudicial.”

In Roy’s case, his petition was initially denied, but the Louisiana Supreme Court in 2001 ordered an evidentiary hearing that would be canceled over missing records.

The judge then ordered the district attorney to pro-

duce files on a trial prosecutor, Cliff Strider, and to file a brief explaining why the district attorney was withholding records as “work product.”

But the district attorney never responded to the judge’s directive.

According to an affidavit from an attorney for Roy, a prosecutor discouraged her from pressing the case, telling her “nothing was going to happen in Mr Roy’s case as long as we were all waiting on him to file his brief.”

That’s as far it got until Terrell sought an execution warrant for Roy last year Currently, none of Louisiana’s death row inmates is under an execution warrant The execution of Jessie Hoffman last March remains the first use of the death penalty in Louisiana since 2010, and the only using nitrogen gas.

BY ANDREW DALTON Associated Press

Singer LaMo nte

McLemore has died. He was a founding member of the 5th Dimension, a vocal group whose smooth pop and soul sounds with a touch of psychedelia brought them big hits in the 1960s and ’70s. McLemorediedTuesdayat age 90 at his home in Las Vegas, surrounded by his family,hisrepresentativeJeremy Westby said in a statement. He died of natural causes after having a stroke.

The 5th Dimension had broad crossover success and won six Grammy Awards including record of the year

Later McLemore McCoo, and two of his childhood friends from St. Louis, Billy Davis Jr and Ronald Towson, along with schoolteacher Florence LaRue, formed a singing group called the Versatiles in 1965, and signed to singer Johnny Rivers’ new label, Soul City Records. Rivers told the group, his first signees, that their name wasn’t current enough. Towson came up with the 5th Dimension, a name that would echo the sprinkling of psychedelia and hippie culture the group embraced. Their breakthrough hit came in 1967 with the Mamas & the Papas’ song “Go Where You Wanna Go.” LaMonte

twice, for 1967’s “Up, Up and Away” and 1969’s “Aquarius/ Let the Sunshine In.” Both songs were also top 10 pop hits, with “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In,” a mashup of songs from the musical “Hair,” spending six weeks at No. 1. McLemore had a parallel career as a sports and celebrity photographer The St. Louis-born McLemore had served in the U.S. Navy, where he worked as an aerial photographer. He sang in a jazz ensemble, theHi-Fi’s,withfuture5thDimension bandmate Marilyn McCoo. The group opened for Ray Charles in 1963, but broke up the following year

AExxonMobil’ssafetycommitmentshown through action andinvestment

Thisstory is brought to you by ExxonMobil

tExxonMobil,weprioritizethe security and health of our employees,our customers and thepublic. Our commitmenttosafetyisn’t aslogan –it’sacorevaluethatdrivesevery decision we make,fromthe boardroom to thefield In Louisiana,wesupport morethan 6,000 direct and contract jobs acrossour BatonRougeComplexand pipelineoperations across36parishes.Every one of those team memberscontinually evaluatesour processesand performance to ensurewe’re doing our part to protect ourselves,each other and the membersof the communities we serveand work alongside.

Leading in Personnel Safety Care forour ExxonMobil team is foundational to whatwedoeach and every day. ExxonMobil continuously refines work protocols and develops internationally-recognized best practices –all in support of our mission to be the leading operatorinour industry In 2023and 2024, ExxonMobil maintained industry-leading personnelsafety performance with aLost Time IncidentRatesfar below upstream industry and U.S. refining and chemical industry benchmarks. But best in classdoesn’t mean we’ll stop improving.

$500,000 worth of training and curriculum materials to found the Louisiana Pipeline Emergency Training Program in BatonRougein2025. The program, the first of its kind in Louisiana,isapartnership led by the Louisiana State Fire and Emergency Training Academyand River Parishes CommunityCollege. Participantsinthe training program receivefreeeducation in pipeline terminology, equipment, operations and hazards, followedbyhands-on field exercises.

Across its operating CO2 pipeline system, ExxonMobil is alsoproviding specialized safety training formorethan 300 first respondersfromAscension, Assumption, Beauregard,Calcasieu, East BatonRouge, Franklin, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafayette,Lafourche, Livingston, St.James St.Landry,St. Mary and Vermilion parishes

We’reproud to work alongside FETA and RPCCtomakeworldclassCO2 emergency trainingavailable right hereinLouisiana

Brian Carlin CO2 OperationsManager at ExxonMobil

ExxonMobil has long embedded safety into our culture, reinforcedbyleadership,standards,practices and experience. An integrated framework of systems,processes,toolsand behaviorsdesigned to eliminate injuriesand fatalities supports this commitment.

Centraltothis framework is our Personnel SafetyManagementSystem(PSMS), which helps team membersatall levels proactively learn from theirwork, build and validate their safety capacity, drive effectivesafetyengagement. At ExxonMobil, everyone is encouraged to be safety leaders nomatterwheretheywork. It all ties back to our corevalue of Care

Protecting our Communities

In addition to implementing best-practice safety and designstandards,ExxonMobil helpsprotect our communities by equipping and preparing first respondersacrossour pipeline network.

To ensurefirstrespondershavethe tools and training they need, ExxonMobil invested $50,000 and donatedmorethan

“We’re proud to work alongside FETA andRPCCtomakeworld-class CO2 emergency training available righthereinLouisiana,helping to ensureevery firefighter, from urban departments to rural parishes,has accesstothe tools and skills needed to respond safely and effectively,” said BrianCarlin, CO2 Operations Manager at ExxonMobil.

Keeping Pipelines Safe

ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, which operatesthousands of miles of pipelines carrying critical products to consumersand businessesinLouisiana,shares in our mission to supportaculturethatensuresa clear andsimple objective: Nobody Gets Hurt.This goal extends to our neighborsand thosewho live andwork near our pipelines and facilities

Safetyisn’tjust prioritized through our actions,but also in our machinery andinfrastructure. In order to continuously maintain the integrityand reliabilityof our pipelines and facilities,werigorously test and analyzeour infrastructuretodetermine the correct maintenance procedures. This ranges from additionaltesting and monitoring to minorrepairs or even pipe replacements

ExxonMobil owns and operatesapproximately 1,300 miles of CO2 pipeline –the largest CO2 pipeline network in the U.S. Thesetypes of pipelines have operatedinthe United Statesfor morethan50years.Today, approximately 5,200 miles of CO2 pipelines safely transport about68million tons of CO2 per year throughout the nation.

The federal safety data about CO2 pipelinesisclear: incidents arerareand declining on aper-mile basis.From2000

to 2024, the averageyearly CO2 pipeline incidentrate was lessthan 0.002 incidents per pipeline mile –arate well belowthatofother pipelines,including natural gaspipelines

In addition, CO2 pipeline releases typically result in relatively minor impacts

As interest growsinCO2 infrastructurefor enhanced oil recovery and storage, ExxonMobil will continue to uphold high standards and pursue continual improvementofsafety acrossall of our operations –it’swhatwedo.

IndustryRecognitions DemonstrateExcellence

ExxonMobil is aproud multiple-time recipientofthe American Chemistry Council’sResponsible Care Company of the Year Award, most recently in 2025. This recognition has been given foroutstanding leadership and performance in environmental, health and safety stewardship and dedication to continual improvement.

We have alsoreceived the American Petroleum Institute’sDistinguished Pipeline SafetyAward forthe last three years.

From the systems thatguide daily operations to the partnerships thatstrengthen emergency preparednessacross Louisiana,ExxonMobil continues to invest in people, infrastructureand collaborations to reduce risk and protect communities.Industry awards affirm our progress, but the ultimate measureofsuccessremains consistentpositive performance and an unwavering focus on doing the right thing, every day, in every place we operate.

Murrill

Dems demand ‘dramaticchanges’for ICE

BY MARYCLARE JALONICK and JOEY CAPPELLETTI Associated Press

WASHINGTON Democrats are threatening to block funding for the Homeland Security Department when it expires in two weeks unless there are “dramatic changes” and “real accountability” forU.S. Immigrationand Customs Enforcement and other law enforcement agencies who are carryingout President Donald Trump’scampaign of federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota and across the country Congress is discussing potential new rules forICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection after officers shot and killed two Minneapolis protesters in January.Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries reiterated their party’sdemands on Wednesday, withSchumer telling reporters that Congress must “rein in ICE in very serious ways, and end the violence.” Democrats are “drawinga line in the sand” as Republicans need their votes to continue the funding, Jeffries said.

The negotiations come amid some bipartisan sentiment that Congress should step in to de-escalate ten-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALEX BRANDON

President DonaldTrump smiles Tuesdayafter signing aspending bill that endsa partial shutdown of the federal governmentinthe Oval Office of the White House. The bill funds the Department of Homeland Security fortwo weeks.

sions over the enforcement operationsthat have rocked Minnesota and other states. Butfinding real agreement in such ashort time will be difficult, if not“an impossibility,”asSenateMajority Leader John Thune,R-S.D., said Tuesday. President Donald Trump last week agreed toa Democratic request that funding for the DHS be separated from alarger spendingbill andextended at currentlev-

els for two weeks while the two parties discuss possible requirementsfor the federal agents.House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton,said this weekendthathewas at the WhiteHouse when Trump spoke with Schumerand that they were“on the path to get agreement.”

Butit’sunclear if thepresident or enough congressional Republicans will agree to anyofthe Democrats’ larger demands that the of-

ficers unmask and identify themselves,obtain judicial warrants in certain cases andwork with local authorities, amongother asks Republicanshavealready pushed back. And House GOP lawmakersaredemandingthatsome of their own priorities be added to the Homeland Securityspending bill, including legislation that would requireproof of citizenship beforeAmericans register

to vote. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and other Republican senators are pushing forrestrictions on sanctuary cities that they say don’tdoenough to crack down on illegalimmigration.

There’snoclear definition of sanctuaryjurisdictions, but the term is generally applied to state and local governments that limit cooperation withfederal immigration authorities.

It’salso uncertain if Democrats who are furious over the Trumpadministration’s increasingly aggressive immigration enforcement operations wouldbewilling to compromise.

“Republicans need to get serious,” Schumer,aNew York Democrat,said, adding thattheywill propose “tough, strong legislation” in the next day

Republicans saytheyare open to officer-worn body cameras, achange that was already in the underlying homeland security spending bill. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem backed that up on Monday when she ordered body-worn cameras to be issued to every DHS officer on the ground in Minneapolis, including those fromICE.Shesaidthepolicy would expand nationwide as funding becomes available.

The bill already directed $20 milliontooutfitimmi-

gration enforcement agents with body-worn cameras. As videos and photos of aggressiveimmigrationtactics and high-profile shootings circulate nationwide, agents covering their faces with masks has become aflashpoint. Democrats argue that removing themasks would increase accountability. Republicanswarnitcould expose agents to harassment and threats.

“State law enforcement, local folks don’tdoit,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson,the top Democrat on the Committeefor Homeland Security.“Imean, what’sso special about an ICE law enforcement agency that they have to wearamask?”

But Republicans appear unlikely to agree.

“Unlike your local law enforcement in your hometown, ICE agents arebeing doxed and targeted. We have evidence of that,” Johnson said on Tuesday. He added that if you “unmask them and you put all their identifying information on their uniform, they will obviously be targeted.”

Immigration officers are alreadyrequiredtoidentify themselves “as soon as it is practicaland safe to do so,” according to federal regulations. ICEofficials insist those rules are being followed.

Nomineefor N.O.-areajudge facescontroversy in U.S. Senate

Trump’snominee facescriticism from legalorganizations

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON— Whenthe nomination of New Orleans lawyer Anna St. John to be afederal judge was considered Wednesday in aSenate committee, Republicans focused on her credentialsand deep experience litigating massive classaction lawsuits, while Democrats attacked her for testimony about handling sexualharassment complaints.

A46-year-old native of Gulfport Mississippi, and mother of four, St. John graduated near the top of her class at LSU and Columbia Law School before joining amultinational law firm specializing in complex litigation. She was nominated Jan. 29 by President Donald Trumpfor alifetimeseatonthe U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana,based in New Orleans.

St. John’snomination faced unusually fierce criticism from liberal-leaning legalorganizations, largely because of conservative positions she has taken duringher

20-year legal career

“I don’thave the slightest idea of what her politics are,” said U.S. Sen. John Kennedy,R-Madisonville and amember of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“But Ihavetalked about the law with her.And that’swhy Ithink Bill and Inominated hertothe president,” referring to Sen. Bill Cassidy,R-Baton Rouge, Louisiana’sother senator “She’sareal student of the law; not alllawyers are,” Kennedy continued. “Sheunderstandsthe majesty of the law.She understands the nuances in the law.And that’s thekindofpersonwewantonthe federal bench.”

ButIllinois Sen. Dick Durbin, therankingDemocrat on the committee, criticized St.John’s2021 testimony in Congress on “Ending Forced Arbitration forSexualAssault and Sexual Harassment,” a bipartisan law passed overwhelmingly during the #MeToo movement in 2022.

Many companies require their employees to have complaints handled by amediator behind closed doors. The law’sproponents argued that requiring arbitration forvictims claiming sexual assault or sexual harassment in theworkplace allowed employers to cover up allegationsagainstmanage-

ment. Thenew law gave employees the option of going to court.

“You testified against this legislation,” Durbin told St. John. “You argue that the bill, quote, ‘turns these womenintounwillingpawns, leveraging theirprivate difficultiesinpursuit of public policy objectives that don’tactually benefit them.’”

St.John responded that sheprovided“perspectivesonhow arbitration can be beneficial and that it can result —and often does result —inmuchhigher recoveries for plaintiffs and sexual assault survivors.”

“It’sa quicker process and it doesn’trequirewomen who may not want togopublic to have their namesslashed in apublic docket or in the news,” she said. “I respect everyparty’s right to go to court or to resolve theirdisputesinarbitration. And Idon’tbelieve my testimony can be interpreted to be minimizing of women or forcing them to take acertain approach to resolving these very troubling problemsinour society.”

That testimony was frontand center of alonglistofpositions withwhich liberal legal organizationsand think tanks found fault.

“Many members of theSenate Judiciary Committee, including bothofyou, co-sponsored this bi-

partisan legislation at atimewhen forced arbitration silenced thousands of women when they were sexually harassed and sexually assaulted,” the Washington-based Alliance forJusticewrote Grassley andDurbin in aJan. 30 letter on behalf of 25 groups that oppose St. John’sascensiontothe federal bench. “The wealthy and the powerful continue to weaponize forced arbitration as away to hide wrongdoing and avoidaccountability.”

The alliance has opposed anumberofjudicial nominees, particularly those made by Trump. But St.John is only the third candidate from Louisiana to which the group hasobjected during Trump’stwo terms. The twootherswereChief Eastern District Judge Wendy Vitterand recentlyconfirmed Judge Will Crain —both sitting in New Orleans. Trump hasnominated 10 judges in Louisiana.

If confirmedbythe Senate,St. John would replace retired U.S. District Judge SarahS.Vance, leaving only one vacancyonthe 25seat federal court bench in Louisiana. She would be the fifth judge nominated by Trump among the 12 district judges in the Eastern Districtand the youngest judge on the New Orleans-based bench.

TheEasternDistrictofLouisiana handles federalcriminaland civil

cases in Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa,TerrebonneandWashington parishes. Aftergraduating Columbia University in 2006 with aMasterof Arts degreeand juris doctorate, St. Johnclerkedfor Mississippi’s JudgeRhesa Barksdale on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appealsfor the 5th Circuit. Barksdale wasselected forthe bench by President George H.W.Bush in 1990. In 2007, she joined Covington & Burling LLP,aprestigious Washington-based firmrepresenting primarily large corporations. In 2015, St. John returned to New Orleans to open her own law practice. She also worked at the Center for Class Action Fairness, which at the timewas aproject of the Competitive EnterpriseInstitute but now functions as part of the Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute. St.Johnhas untilFeb.11toanswer written questions submitted by committeemembers. Acommittee vote on whether to advance hernomination to the full Senate forconfirmation will be scheduled after the answers are submitted. Email Mark Ballardat mballard@theadvocate.com.

BY DANICA KIRKA Associated Press

LONDON Theformer PrinceAndrew hasmoved outofhis longtime home on crown-owned land near Windsor Castle earlier than expected after the latest release of documents from the U.S.investigation of Jeffrey Epstein revived

questions about his friendship with the convicted sex offender

The 65-year-old brother of King CharlesIII, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor,left the Royal Lodge in Windsor on Monday and is nowliving on the king’sSandringham estate in eastern England,Britain’sPress Association reported.British media re-

ported that Mountbatten-Windsor will livetemporarily at Wood Farm Cottage while his permanent home on the estate undergoes repairs.

Mountbatten-Windsor’smove to Sandringham was announced in Octoberwhen Charles stripped him of hisroyaltitles amid continuing revelations about his links to Epstein. But the former prince

wasexpected to remainatRoyal Lodge untilthe spring.

The expedited departure came as Thames Valley Police announced they were investigating allegations that Epstein flew asecond womantoBritaintohavesex with Mountbatten-Windsor.Alawyerfor the alleged victim told the BBC that the encounter took place in 2010 at Royal Lodge.

Mountbatten-Windsor hasrepeatedlydenied any wrongdoing in his relationshipwithEpstein. He hasn’t responded publicly to the new trafficking allegation.

Mountbatten-Windsor features anumber of times in the 3million pagesofdocumentstheU.S.Department of Justice released Friday.

Legal fight escalates over Ga. voting records

BY KATE BRUMBACK and NICHOLAS RICCARDI Associated Press

ATLANTA Officials in Georgia’s

Fulton County said Wednesday they have asked a federal court to order the FBI to return ballots and other documents from the 2020 election that it seized last week, escalating a voting battle as President Donald Trump says he wants to “take over” elections from Democratic-run areas with the November midterms on the horizon

The FBI had searched a warehouse near Atlanta where those records were stored, a move taken after Trump’s persistent demands for retribution over claims, without evidence, that fraud cost him victory in Georgia.

Trump’s election comment came in an interview Monday with a conservative podcaster and the Republican president reaffirmed his position in Oval Office remarks the next day, citing fraud allegations that numerous audits, investigations and courts have debunked

Officials in heavily Democratic Fulton County referenced those statements in announcing their legal action at a time of increasing anxiety over Trump’s plans for the fall elections that will determine control of Congress

“This case is not only about Fulton County,” said the county chairman, Robb Pitts. “This is about elections across Georgia and across the nation.”

In a sign of that broader concern, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said this week that he once doubted

Trump would intervene in the midterms but now “the notional idea that he will ask his loyalists to do something inappropriate, beyond the Constitution, scares the heck out of me.”

The White House has scoffed at such fears, noting that Trump did not intervene in the 2025 off-year elections despite some Democratic predictions he would But the president’s party usually loses ground in midterm elections and Trump has already tried to tilt the fall races in his direction.

Democratic state election officials have reacted to Trump’s statements, the seizure of the Georgia election materials and his aggressive deployment of federal officers into Democratic-leaning

cities by planning for a wide range of possible scenarios this fall. That includes how they would respond if Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were stationed outside polling places.

They also have raised concerns about U.S. Department of Justice lawsuits, mostly targeting Democratic states, seeking detailed voter data that includes dates of birth and partial Social Security numbers. Secretaries of state have raised concerns that the administration is building a database it can use to potentially disenfranchise voters in future elections.

Trump and his allies have long fixated on Fulton County, Georgia’s most populous, since he narrowly lost the state to Democrat Joe

Biden in 2020. In the weeks after that election, Trump called Georgia’s secretary of state, Republican Brad Raffensperger,urgedhimtohelp“find”the 11,780 ballots that would enable Trump to be declared the Georgia winner of the state and raised the prospect of a “criminal offense” if the official failed to comply Raffensperger did not change the vote tally, and Biden won Georgia’s 16 electoral votes. Days later, rioters swarmed the U.S Capitol on Jan 6, 2021, and tried to prevent the official certification of Biden’s victory When Trump returned to the presidency in January 2025, he pardoned more than 1,000 charged in that siege.

“Thepresidenthimselfandhisallies, they refuse to accept the fact thattheylost,”Pittssaid.“Andeven if he had won Georgia, he would still have lost the presidency.”

Pitts defended the county’s election practices and said Fulton has conducted 17 elections since 2020 without any issues.

A warrant cover sheet provided tothecountyincludesalistofitems that the agents were seeking related to the 2020 general election: all ballots, tabulator tapes from the scanners that tally the votes, electronic ballot images created when the ballots were counted and then recounted, and all voter rolls.

The FBI drove away with hundreds of boxes of ballots and other documents. County officials say they were not told why the federal government wanted the documents.

The county is also asking the

courttounsealtheswornstatement from a law enforcement agent that was presented to the judge who approved the search warrant.

The Justice Department declined to comment on the county’s motion.

“What they’re doing with the ballots that they have now, we don’t know, but if they’re counted fairly and honestly, the results will be the same,” Pitts said.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that the president’s “take over” remarks, which included a vague reference to “15 places” that should be targeted, were a reference to the SAVE Act, legislation that would tighten proof of citizenship requirements. Republicans want to bring it up for a vote in Congress.

But in his remarks that day, Trump did not cite the proposal. Instead, he claimed that Democratic-controlled places such as Atlanta, which falls mainly in Fulton County, have “horrible corruption on elections. And the federal government should not allow that.”

The Constitution vests states with the ability to administer elections. Congress can add rules for federal races. One of Trump’s earliest second-term actions was an executive order that tried to rewrite voting rules nationwide. Judges have largely blocked it because it violates the Constitution.

Trump contended that states were “agents of the federal government to count the votes. If they can’t count the votes legally and honestly, then somebody else should take over.”

Border czar pulling 700 immigration officers out of Minnesota

BY STEVE KARNOWSKI Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS The Trump administration is reducing the number of immigration officers in Minnesota but will continue its enforcement operation that has sparked weeks of tensions and deadly confrontations, border czar Tom Homan said Wednesday About 700 federal officers — roughly a quarter of the total deployed to Minnesota will be withdrawn immediately after state and local officials agreed over the past weektocooperatebyturning over arrested immigrants, Homan said.

But he did not provide a timeline for when the administration might end the operation that has become a flashpoint in the debate over President Donald Trump’s

mass deportation efforts since the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

About 2,000 officers will remain in the state after this week’s drawdown, Homan said. That’s roughly the same number sent to Minnesota in early January when the surge ramped up, kicking off what the Department of Homeland Security called its “largest immigration enforcement operation ever.”

Since then, masked, heavily armed officers have been met by resistance from residents who are upset with their aggressive tactics.

A widespread pullout, Homan said, will occur only after there’s more cooperation and protesters stop interfering with federal agents carrying out arrests.

TrumptoldNBCNewsthat

he ordered the reduction and added that one lesson coming out of the turmoil in Minnesota is “maybe we can use a little bit of a softer touch. But you still have to be tough.”

Gov Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democrats who have heavily criticized the surge, said pulling back 700 officers was a good first step but that the entire operation should end quickly

“We need a faster and larger drawdown of forces, state-led investigations into the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, and an end to this campaign of retribution,” Walz posted on social media.

Vice President JD Vance said the officers being sent home were mainly in Minneapolis to protect those carrying out arrests. “We’re not

drawing down the immigration enforcement,” Vance said in an interview on “The Megyn Kelly Show.”

Trump’s border czar took over the Minnesota operation in late January after

the second fatal shooting by federal officers and amid growing political backlash and questions about how the operation was being run.

Homan said right away that federal officials could

reduce the number of agents in Minnesota, but only with the cooperation of state and local officials. He pushed for jails to alert Immigration and Customs Enforcement about inmates who could be deported, saying transferring those inmates to ICE is safer because it means fewer officers have to be out looking for people in the country illegally Homan said during a news conference Wednesday that there has been an “increase in unprecedented collaboration” resulting in the need for fewer public safety officers in Minnesota and a safer environment, allowing for the withdrawal of the 700 officers. Minnesota officials say its state prisons and nearly all of the county sheriffs already cooperate with immigration authorities.

Nancy Guthrie’s Arizona neighborhood is dark at night, quiet, spread out

BY SEJAL GOVINDARAO and JACQUES BILLEAUD Associated Press

TUCSON, Ariz. — Nancy Guthrie’s upscale Arizona neighborhood is quiet and mostly dark at night, lit mainly by car headlights and homes spaced far apart.

Long driveways, front gates and desert plants provide a buffer from the winding streets and curious eyes.

Saguaro cacti tower above the roofline of Guthrie’s Tucson-area home, and wispy trees partially block the view of the front door

Those are the conditions that in-

vestigators are faced with as they try to piece together the moments before and immediately after the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie. Authorities offered no detailed update Wednesday “Is there somebody out there who’s kidnapping elderly people in the middle of the night, every night?” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said Tuesday “We don’t believe that’s the case. We believe

Nancy was taken from her home against her will.” Nanos’ office said Wednesday that detectives still were speaking with anyone who had contact with Nancy Guthrie last weekend but that no suspect or person of interest had been identified.

There were signs of forced entry at the home in the upscale Catalina Foothills neighborhood. Guthrie has limited mobility, and officials do not believe she left on her own. A sheriff’s dispatcher

talking to deputies during a search Sunday indicated that she has high blood pressure, a pacemaker and heart issues, according to audio from broadcastify.com.

Multiple media organizations reportedreceivingpurportedransom notes Tuesday that they handed over to investigators. The sheriff’s department has said it’s taking the notes and other tips seriously but declined to comment further

Guthrie was last seen Saturday around 9:30 p.m. at her home where she lived alone, and she was reported missing midday Sunday after she didn’t appear at a church.

For a third day, “Today” opened

with Guthrie’s disappearance, but Savannah Guthrie was not at the anchor’s desk. NBC Sports said Tuesday that she will not be covering the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics “as she focuses on being with her family during this difficult time.”

The “Today” host grew up in Tucson, graduated from the University of Arizona and previously worked as a reporter and anchor at Tucson television station KVOA. The youngest of three siblings, she credits her mom with holding their family together after her father died of a heart attack at 49, when Savannah was just 16.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RyAN MURPHy

A person is detained by federal agents on Tuesday in Minneapolis.

N. Guthrie S. Guthrie

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MIKE STEWART FBI Deputy Director Andrew Bailey, right, stands with members of the FBI at the Fulton County Election Hub on Wednesday in Union City, Ga.

BRIEFS

Drops for tech stocks weigh on Wall Street

NEW YORK More drops for technology stocks weighed on Wall Street on Wednesday Advanced Micro Devices dropped 17.3% even though the chip company reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected

It also gave a forecast for revenue for the start of 2026 that topped analysts’ expectations, but that may not have been enough for investors after its stock had doubled over the last 12 months.

Tech stocks are broadly feeling pressure even when they deliver stronger-than-expected profits. Big Tech stocks are facing criticism that their prices shot too high following their yearslong dominance of the market Companies like software makers, meanwhile, are struggling with questions about whether they’ll lose in the future to competitors powered by artificial-intelligence technology Uber Technologies also dragged on the market after falling 5.1%. The ride-hailing company reported results for the latest quarter that fell short of analysts’ expectations

Some tech stocks nevertheless climbed, including a 13.8% rise for Super Micro Computer. The company, which sells AI servers and other equipment, delivered a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

Eli Lilly rallied 10.3% after topping analysts’ expectations for profit in the latest quarter

It’s been riding big growth created by its Mounjaro and Zepbound products for diabetes and weight loss.

Texas Instruments buys Austin chip maker

Texas Instruments is spending $7.5 billion to buy Austinbased tech firm Silicon Labs to extend its chips enterprise. The pair reached a definitive acquisition agreement announced Wednesday an allcash transaction that would grant Silicon Labs shareholders $231 per share The deal is expected to close in 2027 pending regulatory and shareholder approval.

Silicon Labs is a fabless chip maker, meaning it designs but outsources the manufacturing of semiconductors, with a focus on wireless connectivity This is a complement to Dallas-based Texas Instruments, an integrated device manufacturer that makes embedded processing chips and analog chips (chips that process continuous information like temperature or sound rather than binary data). Silicon Labs recorded $785 million in revenue in 2025, while Texas Instruments had revenues of $15.6 billion in 2024.

An investor presentation highlighted Silicon Labs’ engineering capacity — 70% of its employee base is dedicated to engineering — and its more than 1,500 patents related to wireless connectivity Additionally, around 85% of Silicon Labs’ customers come from the industrial market, per the presentation.

Italy averts cyberattacks targeting Olympics sites

ROME Italy has foiled a series of cyberattacks targeting some of its foreign ministry offices, including one in Washington, as well as Winter Olympics websites and hotels in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Wednesday Talking to reporters during a trip to the U.S. capital, Tajani said the attempted attacks were “of Russian origin,” but didn’t provide additional details.

“We prevented a series of cyberattacks against foreign ministry sites, starting with Washington, and also involving some Winter Olympics sites, including hotels in Cortina,” Tajani said, just two days from Friday’s opening ceremony at Milan’s San Siro stadium.

Washington Post slashes staff

One-third of workers laid off in blow to a legendary news brand

BY DAVID BAUDER AP media writer

The Washington Post laid off one-third of its staff Wednesday, eliminating its sports section, several foreign bureaus and its books coverage in a widespread purge that represented a brutal blow to journalism and one of its most legendary brands.

The Post’s executive editor, Matt

Murray calledthemovepainfulbut necessary to put the outlet on stronger footing and to weather changes in technology and user habits. “We can’t be everything to everyone,” Murray wrote to staff members.

He outlined the changes in a companywide online meeting, and staff membersthenbegangettingemails with one of two subject lines — telling them their role was or was not eliminated.

Rumors of layoffs had circulated for weeks, ever since word leaked that sports reporters who had expected to travel to Italy for the Winter Olympics would not be going. But when official word came down,

the size and scale of the cuts were shocking.

“It’s just devastating news for anyone who cares about journalism in America and, in fact, the world,” said Margaret Sullivan a Columbia University journalism professor and former media columnist at the Post and The New York Times.

Martin Baron, the Post’s first editor under its current owner, billionaire Jeff Bezos, condemned his former boss and called what has happened at the newspaper “a case study in near-instant, self-inflicted brand destruction.” Bezos, who has been silent in recent weeks amid pleas from Post

journalists to step in, had no immediate comment. Thenewspaperhasbeenbleeding subscribers in part due to decisions made by Bezos, including pulling back from an endorsement of KamalaHarris,aDemocrat,duringthe 2024 presidential election against Donald Trump, a Republican, and directing a more conservative turn on liberal opinion pages. A private company, the Post does not reveal how many subscribers it has but it is believed to be roughly 2 million. It would also not say how many people it has on staff, making it impossible to estimate how many people were laid off Wednesday

BY MAE ANDERSON Associated Press

NEW YORK As Super Bowl Sunday approaches, the battle off the field for advertisers to win over 120 million-plus viewers will be just as heated as the rivalry between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.

Dozens of advertisers are pulling out all the stops for Super Bowl 60, airing Sunday on NBC.

They’re hoping that audiences tuning in will remember their brand names as they stuff their ads with celebrities, tried-andtrue ad icons like the Budweiser Clydesdales, and nostalgia for well-known movie properties such as “Jurassic Park.”

This year’s trends include health and telehealth companies advertising weight loss drugs and medical tests, tech companies showing off their latest gadgets and apps and advertisers showcasing AI in their ads.

Villanova University marketing professor Charles Taylor said because of the heavy headlines in the news lately — from the immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota to conflicts abroad he expects advertisers to stick to a light and silly tone.

“Because of the Super Bowl’s status as a pop culture event with a fun party atmosphere, the vast majority of brands will avoid any dark or divisive tone and instead allow consumers to escape from thinking about these troubled times,” he said.

Record-breaking prices

In 2025, a record 127.7 million U.S viewers watched the game across television and streaming platforms.

Space sold for an average of $8 million per 30-second unit, but a handful of spots sold for $10 million-plus, a record, said Peter Lazarus, executive vice president, sports & Olympics, advertising and partnerships for NBCUniversal. He said he was calling February, with the Super Bowl, Olympics and the NBA All-Star Game, “legendary February.”

Celebrities galore

Featuring celebrities is a tried-and-true way advertisers can get goodwill from viewers. This year, Fanatics Sportsbook enlists Kendall Jenner to talk about the “Kardashian Kurse,” in which bad things happen to basketball players she dates.

George Clooney appears in a Grubhub add to promote a deal that the delivery app offers to “Eat the Fees” on orders of $50 or more.

Xfinity reunites Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum in a tongue-in-cheek reimagining of “Jurassic Park” that shows an Xfinity tech bringing power back to the island so nothing goes awry And Uber Eats enlists Matthew McConaughey for the second year in a row to convince celebrities — this year it is Bradley Cooper and Parker Posey — that football is

a conspiracy to make people hungry so they order food.

AI takes the stage

For the second year in a row, AI is making waves in Super Bowl ads.

Oakley Meta touts their AI-enabled glasses in two action-packed spots showing Spike Lee, Marshawn Lynch and others using the glasses to film video and answer questions.

Svedka Vodka enlisted Silverside AI, an AI studio, to help create their ad, which features their robot mascot FemBot along with a male counterpart, BroBot. They took that approach because of Svedka’s positioning as the “vodka of the future,” said Sara Saunders, chief marketing officer at Sazerac, which bought the Svedka brand in 2025.

“We reimagined the robot via AI,” Saunders said. “It took us many, many months to rebuild her, to give her functionality, to give her that human spirit that we wanted to show up on behalf of the brand.”

Health and telehealth

Health and telehealth providers are everywhere during Super Bowl 60. Two pharma companies are advertising tests: Novartis touts a blood test to screen for prostate cancer with the tagline “Relax your tight end,” featuring football tight ends relaxing. Boehringer Ingelheim’s ad stars Octavia Spencer and Sofia Vergara, who encourage people to screen for kidney disease.

BY KELVIN CHAN Associated Press

LONDON In France, civil servants will ditch Zoom and Teams for a homegrown video conference system. Soldiers in Austria are using open-source office software to write reports after the military dropped Microsoft Office. Bureaucrats in a German state have also turned to free software for their administrative work. Around Europe, governments and institutions are seeking to reduce their use of digital services from U.S Big Tech companies and turning to domestic or free alter-

natives. The push for “digital sovereignty” is gaining attention as the Trump administration strikes an increasingly belligerent posture toward the continent, highlighted by recent tensions over Greenland that intensified fears that Silicon Valley giants could be compelled to cut off access. Concerns about data privacy and worries that Europe is not doing enough to keep up with the United States and Chinese tech leadership are also fueling the drive.

The French government referenced some of these concerns when it announced last week that 2.5 million civil servants would

stop using video conference tools from U.S. providers — including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex and GoTo Meeting by 2027 and switch to Visio, a homegrown service. The objective is “to put an end to the use of non-European solutions, to guarantee the security and confidentiality of public electronic communications by relying on a powerful and sovereign tool,” the announcement said.

“We cannot risk having our scientific exchanges, our sensitive data, and our strategic innovations exposed to non-European actors,” David Amiel, a civil service minis-

ter, said in a news release. Microsoft said it continues to “partner closely with the government in France and respect the importance of security, privacy, and digital trust for public institutions.” Zoom, Webex and GoTo Meeting did not respond to requests for comment. French President Emmanuel Macron has been pushing digital sovereignty for years. But there’s now a lot more “political momentum behind this idea now that we need to de-risk from U.S. tech,” Nick Reiners senior geotechnology analyst at the Eurasia Group.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Svedka Vodka’s ad features their robot mascot, FemBot, along with a male counterpart, BroBot.

BILLS

and consumers for awhile now, since our electricity system in the region is so dependent ongas, it means we are all vulnerable to even small increases in the cost of fossil gas,” said Logan Burke, executive director of theAlliance for Affordable Energy,a nonprofit that represents consumers. “Louisiana must diversify to fuel free resources to stabilize ourbills.” Burke notedthat utilities pass through the cost of gas on atwomonth rolling basis.That means upticks in bills in December were based on the cost of gas in October, far before winter temperatures set in. In the coming months, customers will seethe dramaticupswing in gas prices —thoughregulators may spread the cost over several months to avoid residents seeing eye-popping bills.

The January winter storm caused power outages for thousands in north Louisiana as ice snapped treesand lacedelectric lines. The lasting cold hascontributed to at least nine deaths that the state has confirmed were stormrelated, including some who froze to death in their homes. But unlike the historic winter storm Uri in 2021, utilities were not forced into rolling blackouts to manage the imbalance between supply and demand. That storm froze gas pipelines,wellheads and

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consistency,accountability,and officers showing up for thecommunity every day.Our focus remains on being brilliant in the basics and continuing to earnpublic confidence through our actions.”

Two-thirdsofrespondents this year also said the city is fairly or very safe, a12-point improvement from June 2025. Strong majorities also approved of theNOPD’suse of facial recognition technology and increasing the NOPD’s“legaluse of camera technology” in investigations, 67% and 79% respectively,according to the survey

However,respondents gave

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Player,Offensive Player of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year awards.

The 2006 season wasn’tafluke. It was the beginning of a15-year run of sustained excellence unprecedented in Saints history

The Saints became one of the league’s most prolific, innovative anddominant attacks in NFL history

The numbers alone should end thedebate. During Brees’ tenure, the Saints gained more yardsthan any offense in NFL history over any 15-year span. They led the league in scoring or total offense eight times. He led the NFL in completion percentage sixtimes, in passing yardage seven times andposted an almost unfathomable 12 consecutive 4,000-yard seasons. Brees threw for 400 or more yards in agame 16 times.Noother quarterback has more than 13. He recorded five of the 15 5,000-

Powerlines hang from adowned pole along U.S. 65 on Sundayin Transylvania after awinter stormhit north Louisiana.

generating units, causing catastrophic blackoutsinTexas and “load shedding” in Louisiana. Duringthe 2021 storm, regulatory documents showed Entergy was forced to buy gas at skyrocketing prices,raising fuel costsby236% to customers.

It’snot yet clear how much this winter storm’sprice surge will affect customers. Entergy Louisiana spokesperson Brandon Scardigli saidthe companyisstill calculat-

NOPD low marks on several other tasks, with only 11%-12% of those surveyed saying they thought the department had done enough to retain andrecruit staff.

“While most residentsbelieve theNOPDisdoinganincreasingly good job giventhe circumstances, they see room for improving specifictasks they perform —and muchofthatimprovementwill require additionalmanpower and better use of technology,” said Ron Faucheux, aveteran Louisiana pollsterwho conducted thesurvey.

Since 2009, NOCC has commissioned thesurvey each year in an effort to gauge the public’s perceptions of public safety,local law enforcementand to highlight areas needing improvement or reforms. The surveyisconducted by phone

yard passing seasons in league history. No other quarterback has more than two. Then there were the moments of singular brilliance:

n His 40-yard touchdown strike to Devery Hendersontobreak

Johnny Unitas’ 52-year-old record for consecutivegames with a touchdown passin2012.

n His seven-touchdown, 511yard passing outburst in a52-49 win over the Giantsin2015.

n The unforgettable 62-yard bomb to Tre’Quan Smithtoset the NFLrecordfor career passing yardsina2018 win over the Redskinson“MondayNight Football.”

n The Thanksgiving Day win over theFalcons, when he threw touchdown passes to four undrafted free agents(Tommylee Lewis,Austin Carr, Dan Arnold andKeith Kirkwood). Another first in NFL history

n Andofcourse, his historic 29of-30passing night in a34-7 rout of theColts on “Monday Night Football” in 2019. Reducing Brees to statistics, though, shortchanges his legacy He was agenerational leader who

ing the numbers.

Scardigli said since the 2021 storm, Entergy has made several changes to how it procures gas, including more long-term transportationagreements to make sure gas is available. The company has also addedmore supplies forload pockets where transmission is limited, among other changes.

The PublicServiceCommission, which regulates Entergy Louisiana, investigated the blackouts and

and normally comes out in June, but NOCC published the survey earlierthis year on Wednesdayto provide fresh data to the new mayoral administration.

“Thisnew report affirms our consistent, deliberateand comprehensive approach topublic safety, Mayor HelenaMoreno saidina statement. “But our work is not done. Our Administration will continuetowork to improvepublic safetyinpartnership with law enforcement,our communities, and advocates from acrossour city.”

Faucheux Strategies LLC conducted the survey fromJan.26to Jan. 31, and it has amargin of error of 3.46%.

Thepublicsentiment reflects athree-year downward trend in violent crimethat Kirkpatrick has

lifted the entire organization with hisleadership, preparation and attention to detail.

On thefield, Brees’ accuracy and processing skills bordered on superhuman. Former Saints tackle Jon Stinchcomb called him “the supercomputer”because of the volume of information he could absorb and execute under pressure.

Despite standing only 6feet tall, Brees mastered the subtleties of quarterbacking theway Greg Maddux mastered thestrikezone, painting theblack with his passes instead of blowing you away with hisfastball. The effect was transformative.

BeforeBrees arrived, the Saints wonone division title and40% of their games in four decades.

During his tenure, they won 62%, earned seven division titles,made nine playoff runs and captured theonly Super Bowl championship in franchise history

En route to theLombardi Trophy,heoutdueled three future Hall of Famers: Kurt Warner, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning. In theSuper Bowl, Brees

price hikes related to the 2021 winterstorm.They recommended that Entergy consider longer-term contracts to help the company avoid beingforced to buy gas on short noticeatastronomical prices.

Scardigli said the company still has not done so because they believe such contracts could lock thefirm into higher-priced gas. He said Entergy is also exploring a hedging program that uses swaps —which allow buyers to trade volatile spotprices for afixed price —tohelp stabilize the cost of gas.

He said such financial instruments rather than long-term gas contracts“provide the greatest benefittocustomers by preserving operational flexibility for the company’sfleet of generators while still locking in pricing to a degree.”

For years,most Louisianans paid oneutility bill that includedgas andelectric costs combined. That changed last summer when Delta, aportfolio company of the private equity firm Bernhard Capital Partners, bought the gas businesses owned by EntergyLouisiana and Entergy NewOrleans.

At thesame time that customers first started seeing gas and electric bills broken out separately, gasprices also edged higher and colder weather caused usage to increase. The result? Customer fury over rising naturalgas bills that seemed significantly more expensive than what they paid when gas andelectric bills werecombined.

“The major thing I’mseeing is

attributedtostrongerpolicepartnerships with localand federal law enforcement and modernized policingtechniques to followleads, suchassearching social media as opposed to conducting stops in high-crime areas.

Data released by NOPD last month showed violent crime in 2025 dropped to a50-year low.The homicide rate droppedby3%last year with121 murders compared with 125 theprevious year

And, despite ashrunken police force, NOPD has struggled to rebuild since 2020, increased reliance on technology,forensics, cellphone data and other measures have bolstered the department’s ability to solve crimes,Metropolitan Crime Commission President Rafael Goyeneche said last month.

completed 32 of 39 passes and orchestrated the go-ahead drive with surgical efficiency,hitting seven differentreceivers without an incompletion.

Some argue thatBrees was merely aproductofthe Sean Payton system, anotionhis former teammates and coaches scoff at. As former Saints tackle Zach Strief said, the Saints didn’trun “magical plays.” They ran thesame concepts as other teams.

“Wehad aquarterback that on thelast step of his drop already knew where the ball needed to go and when,and could put it in awindow twice the size of afootball,” Strief said. “He wasn’ta ‘system quarterback.’ He was the system.”

Even his peers regarded him with awe. Former NFLhead coach and Saints assistant Mike Nolan said Brees belongs in the samebreath as TomBrady and Manning as one of the greatest pocket passers ever.His former coach, Payton, called his approach “amazing to watch,” a model of preparation and mental

people not being used to seeing an independent gasbill,” said Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis last week. Lewis, aDemocrat representing parts of Baton Rouge and NewOrleans, added that heavy spikes in natural gas prices from thestorm caused electricity prices to skyrocket in the market where Louisiana buys gas.

Delta spokesperson Sara Porteoussaidthe company did not face interruptions to supply during the latest blast of cold weather

While about 80% of its normal monthly usage in cold months is secured through storage and fixedprice contracts, when usage soars during severe cold, Delta must buy gas on the spot market. In recent weeks, those priceswere “substantially higher than normal,” Porteoussaid. At adistributionhub in Louisiana called Henry Hub, prices reached $30.57 per 1million British thermal units last week, compared with $23.61 per MMBtu during Uriin2021.

“Customers should expect higherbills in thecoming months mainly due to increased usage from extended coldweather and significantly higher naturalgas costs,” Porteous said. “When market prices rise during extreme weather,wemust purchase gas at thoseelevated rates. Under Louisiana’s regulatory cost recovery mechanisms, these costs are passedthrough to customers and spread over future months to help manage the impact.”

Orleans Parish District Attorney

Jason Williams in anews conference last month also credited the NOPD andinteragencycollaboration among law enforcement for the steadydeclineinviolentcrimerates. He also pointed to his office’s DataInformed Community Engagementprogram,called NO DICE, which aims to tackle the root causesofcrime in the community,such as removing blight, revitalizing parks for kids or “shutting down problematicestablishments,” he said.

“The communitiesare in lockstep with this work,” Williams said. “NODICE restores that sense of agency to members of the community,treating residents as partners andsupporting communitieswith solutions that they lead,” he said.

toughness that elevated everyone around him

If anything, Brees might be underrated. He finished second in MVP voting four times, each timeovershadowed by someone having ahistoric outlier season: LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006, Manning in 2009, Aaron Rodgers in 2011 and Patrick Mahomes in 2018. He just might be the greatest player never to winthe award. Equally astounding, he missed just one gamebecause of injury in the first 18 seasons of his 20year career The Hall of Famereserves first-ballot induction for the elite of the elite. Only 23% of all inductees have received that honor.Brees belongs in that number

His numbers are historic. His consistency and durability were unmatched. His leadership reshaped afranchise and revitalized acity.Byany measure, he is one of the greatest to ever play the game. If Brees is not afirst-ballot Hall of Famer,then what are we even doing here?

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Don Dubuc ending long-running radio show

BY MIKE SMITH Staff writer

Don Dubuc’s radio show doesn’t typically include breaking news unless you’re a hunter or angler looking for last-minute tips while on your way to your spot

Last weekend was different.

Dubuc dropped a bombshell toward the end of his show, announcing that his Feb. 7 edition will be his last after around four decades as Louisiana’s voice of the outdoors.

The 75-year-old will shut down his long-running “Outdoors with Don Dubuc” radio program and shift into retirement mode. It marks the end of an era for generations of sportsmen who tune in to WWL every Saturday from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. for the latest on the speckled trout bite, duck hunting season and a long list of related topics.

He said it’s simply time to move on. He’s ready to enjoy more time with his family and be able to actually hunt and fish on Saturday mornings instead of talking about it on the radio.

He plans eventually to move from his longtime Mandeville home to Alabama, where one of his daughters now lives.

“I’ve been working 60 years, and not that I don’t enjoy it,” Dubuc said.

“There’s just some bucket list stuff while I’ve still got good health and I was at top of my game in the career I’m going to be doing some traveling around the country, out of the country

I’ve got three daughters none of them live here — and I’m going to be spending a lot more time with them.”

A replacement is not lined up for now and the silence will be hard to take for some. Dubuc’s show has been a must-listen for many who revel in the bountiful hunting and fishing that gives Louisiana its “Sportsman’s Paradise” nickname. The show was informative because Dubuc also lived the life. He has fished and hunted across Louisiana, the Gulf Coast and far beyond. He kept close tabs on the chang-

ing rules and regulations governing those activities. He witnessed Louisiana’s land loss crisis up close, noting the gradual disappearance of so much vital marsh. And he managed to talk about it all in a way that was entertaining — what he compared to a conversation among friends at a fishing camp

But that was not all he did in his years on the radio. He also filled in for other WWL hosts in their absence, and he says his most rewarding moment was when he stepped up to the mic in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 to relay vital information as the region descended into chaos.

‘He’s genuine’

Beyond that, Dubuc is an Army veteran who participated in charities such as the “Hunt of a Lifetime” program for terminally ill children

His “Bayou Wild TV” show, which also covers outdoors topics, will continue, but Dubuc plans to gradually step away and hand it over to his photographer and edi-

tor, Chris LeCoq.

A big part of Dubuc’s radio show involved his “field reporters” — a succession of marina owners and guides who called in weekly to report on fishing or hunting activity from locations throughout south Louisiana.

One of those guides, Mike Gallo of Angling Adventures of Louisiana, said Dubuc was a “natural” — a highly knowledgeable host while still being a joy to listen to.

“Don is just like you hear him on the radio. He’s genuine,” said 63-year-old Gallo, who started as one of Dubuc’s field reporters in 2006 and usually fishes out of the Rigolets.

“He’s very sincere about the information that he provides to outdoorsmen because, really, at heart, he is an outdoorsman that loves fishing and hunting himself So I guess it kind of came second nature to him after so long.”

Dubuc was born in New Orleans and raised in Jefferson Parish, becoming hooked on fishing at an early age, partly thanks to an uncle who influenced him. He caught his

first fish — a perch — at a kids’ fishing rodeo at a lake at the former Jefferson Downs horse racing track in Metairie, which is now the site of Lafreniere Park. He was drafted into the Army during the Vietnam years, but was never dispatched to the war, spending 18 months in Germany

The legendary Frank Davis, who mixed outdoors and fun for reports on WWL-TV, was an inspiration and mentor to him as he began his career as a broadcaster Dubuc gradually worked his way from a writing job for the St. Tammany News Banner to a radio show on WARB, a small station out of Covington, then WGNO-TV WWL eventually became the flagship of his radio show, which has also included a handful of affiliates in Louisiana and elsewhere. He has owned the show through his own company Davis, whose “Naturally N’awlins” segments made him a household name, recommended Dubuc as his replacement when he fell ill. Dubuc filled that role

as well until the COVID-19 shutdowns.

‘He’s on the radio’

His radio show in its current form is in its 37th year, beginning in 1989, though an earlier version started in 1984.

Dan Barron, general manager for Audacy New Orleans, which owns WWL, said the station hasn’t yet decided whether it will broadcast a similar outdoors show in the future. It will air other programming in Dubuc’s time slot over the short term.

“There’s only one Don Dubuc. It’s hard for any of us to imagine this show, or any show like it, continuing on without Don,” said Barron.

“So right now, our focus is just to give Don his due, celebrate him. And in the short term, Don has assured me, since his schedule is opening up, he’s going to take me fishing, so I’m going to take advantage of that opportunity before we do anything.”

His final show on Saturday will be different from the usual. Dubuc plans to put aside hunting and fishing reports to allow his field reporters and longtime listeners to reminisce — and he will no doubt hear a flood of memories.

Dubuc says one of the great pleasures of his show has been hearing from sportsmen who started listening with their fathers and are now doing the same with their children. He also loves it when someone tells him they do not hunt or fish, but still enjoy the show While he has done plenty of hunting and fishing on other days of the week,havinghisSaturdayssuddenly free will be a bonus. He’ll be free to participate in fishing rodeos or opening days for hunting seasons, which often fall on Saturdays. Plus — and perhaps most importantly — he’ll be able to be with friends more often.

“A lot of my friends, that’s their day to go fishing,” said Dubuc.

“A lot of people are Monday through Friday work, spend time with the family on Sundays, and Saturdays is their day to hunt and fish. And hey, you know where Don is: He’s on the radio.”

Email Mike Smith at msmith@ theadvocate.com.

Cooper won’tseekreelectionin2027

Announcement shakes up St.Tammany politics

BY WILLIE SWETT and BOBWARREN Staff writers

In an unexpected announcement that will likely scramble the political landscape as candidatesbegin eyeing 2027 campaigns,St. TammanyParish President Mike Cooper said Wednesday afternoon he would not seek reelection.

“After much prayer,deep reflection, and thoughtfulconversations with my wife,Catherine,Ihavedecidedthatthistermwillbemylast,” Cooper said in amass email. Cooper,aRepublican andCovington native, has spent decades in St. Tammany Parish politics, first as mayor of Covington and thenas parish president.Asmayor,hefol-

lowed in the footsteps of hisfather, ErnestCooper,whohadbeenmayor there for 24 years Cooper,72, beat incumbentPat Bristerin2019tobecomeparish president. In 2023 he was reelected afterdefeatingGregCromertowin asecondterm. UnderSt. Tammany government rules, parish presidents can serve three consecutive

Cooper

terms. During his tenure,Cooper has managed the parishthrough Hurricane Ida, the COVID-19 pandemic andanever-present budget shortfall.

“ServingasyourParishPresident forthe last sixyears hasbeenthe absolute highlight of my public ser-

PACE THEFLOOR

The annual PACE GNOMardi Gras Ballwas heldatthe The Shirley Landry Benson PACE Center in the Bywaterneighborhood.Each member of the Krewe of PACE royal court represented adifferent street in theGreater NewOrleans area as they celebratedthe streets of the city.Two cast members from thetheaterproductionof“Water forElephants” joined in on the funand helped out the staff with handing out beverages andcollectingtrash.

ChrisOhlmeyerwillbe laid to restThursday

BY MICHELLEHUNTER Staff writer

For years, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office Deputies Christopher Ohlmeyer,Kisha Mann and Michael Dowd patrolled the4th District, protecting the neighborhoods of central and western Metairie, Elmwood and River Ridge. The trio, who were more like siblings, had superhero codenames for oneanother, accordingtoMann. Dowd was “Superman”for theundershirts he likedtosport,and Mann was “Wonder Woman,” just because. Ohlmeyerwas “the Hulk,” namedfor a muscled physique that cut an intimidating

ä

vice,” Cooper said in the statement.

“While Imay be stepping back from the ballot in 2027, Iamnot steppingawayfromtheworkorthe responsibilities you have entrusted in me.”

Cooper’sterm ends in January of 2028. Cooper was not immediately available forcomment on Wednesday

New Orleans su

credit downgrade

BY BEN MYERS Staff writer

ThecityofNewOrleanssufferedaseriousblowtoitscreditratingthisweek, with Moody’sRatings dropping it near the bottom of itsinvestment grade and warning investors of moderate risk on futurebond sales. The action on Tuesday is moresevere than downgrades by Moody’sand other majorratings agencies lastyear as the city’sbudgetcrisisexplodedintopublic view.Analysts at the timewarned that ongoing financial instability could lead to future downgrades.

The Moody’sdowngrade to “Baa2” putsNew Orleansatthe secondrung fromthebottomofitsinvestment-grade scale, just twonotches abovejunk status. Future downgrades could result if the city fails to show progress toward balancingitsbudget,Moody’ssaidinits report.

MayorHelena Morenosaidina statementthe downgradeisdisappointing but “not surprising based on the situation we have inherited.”

“Myadministration is working hand in hand with the City Council to make the tough decisions to get us out of this mess,” Moreno said. “Wehope that over the next few months, Moody’s will see there’sanew direction for

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Gold Maid Linda Mooreand former Gold Maid Betty Doiron dance during the annual PACE GNO Mardi Gras Ball on Wednesday.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff’sOffice Deputy Chris Ohlmeyer, far left, hiswife, Desiree Ohlmeyer, daughter Olivia Ohlmeyer, son Gavin Ohlmeyerand Dakota Cope.

PHOTO PROVIDED By FAMILy

Port Orleans: Parish brokebrewpub contract

Construction delays in JeffersonParishlead to legalconflict

BY LARA NICHOLSON Staff writer

Jefferson Parish’scontroversial effort to build a$10 millionbrewpubinGretnahas hityet another snag with its prospective tenant, Port Orleans Brewing Co., whotold the parish it is in breach of contract fordelayingconstructionandincurring additional costs.

Tommy Discon, co-owner of Port Orleans, and his attorney Andrew Lilly expressed frustration with Jefferson Parish Council member Timothy Kerner Jr.ata Jefferson Parish Council meeting Wednesday for badmouthingthe projectanddelayingtheinstallation of brewery equipment, which they say has thrown it off its agreed-upon timeline.

“That is nowturning into adelay of the project, which is going to cost your taxpayers more money,and it’sgoing to costthis ‘beer and taco shop’ moremoney as well.”

WhilePortOrleanshasbeenquiet on thepublic brewpub debate until now,the company has been at the centerofcontroversyoverwhether theparish should spend $10.3 million to build acommercial brewpub on topofa parkinglot in downtown Gretna and lease it outtoPort Orleans and AvoTaco restaurant for up to 25 years.

Theproject was funded with dollars made available through the American Rescue Plan Actand is being overseen by Jefferson Facilities Inc., apublic benefit corporation for West Jefferson.

“The parish and the public are not aware that you have failed to approve variousrequirements of our contract and construction that required implementation months ago. …That still has not taken place,”Discon told thecouncil

The project’sstatuswent into limbo last fall after the state notified the parish that the brewpub couldnot be used as the local match for an adjacent parking garage being built with state funds, which was an original selling pointfor the brewpub. As a result,KernerJr.,a brewpub opponent who came onto the councillast year in aspecial election, is exploring how to repurpose the building for public use Kerner said it washis “fiduciary

duty” to pause the installation of brewpubequipmentasheevaluates next steps now that thebrewpub won’t serve as alocal match

“We’re goingtoevaluate this thingand be good stewardmoving forward,” Kerner said. “Wehave made no determination,but I’m tellingyourightnow,based on what we have in frontofus, it stinks, and Ithink this is the clearest cut we’re going to see in Jefferson Parish of right and wrong.”

Critics,however,say canceling theproject would result in costly lawsuitsfrom theproject’svarious contractors, similar to theparish’s$5million settlement for EAT Fat City,and force thebuilding to sit idle while the battle plays out in court. They also saythe parish should wait for the legislative session, as state Sen. Patrick Connick, R-Marrero,said he would find another solution in Baton Rouge.

StateRep.VincentCox,R-Gretna, said he plans to meet with state officials at thebrewpub site to tour it and potentially reconsider their ruling,althoughMatthewBaker,directoroftheOfficeofFacilityPlanning &Control, said in astatement to The Times-Picayune earlier this month that the agency is “notconsidering achange in itsdecision.”

Jefferson Parish first approved the PortOrleans lease in October

2023 andamended it last April to change the start date to January 2027 and add someprotections for the parish that were requested by brewpub opponents.

The building’sconstruction is currently 60% complete.

Lilly sent aletter to Jefferson FacilitiesInc.lastweeksaying that thecorporation failed to order essential brewery equipment like aboiler and tanks in time for it to be delivered and installed by aMay 8deadline.Asa result,the letter states, the parish has lost out on tax exemptionsand discounts of over $35,000, as well as jeopardizedthe construction timeline.

months, followed by 6%.

The brewery has previously estimated it will generate $4.5 million in annual sales and create 55 new jobs, and supporters say it will be an economicdriverfor the West Bank.

Lilly wrote that failure to remedy the situationbyWednesday’s parish council meeting would “force” Port Orleans to take legal action.

“Mr.Kerner,I would suggest the timefor looking into whether the contract is enforceable is over,” Lilly said Wednesday,adding that the Port Orleans brewpub lease is notcontingentuponthe parking garage.

Under the lease, the brewery will pay monthly rent to aJefferson Facilities Inc. in the amount of 3% of gross revenue for the first 30

But some officials have criticized the project as having no public benefit, namely Kerner,Jefferson Parish Inspector General KimChatelainandat-large Parish Council member Jennifer VanVrancken. Numerous parish council meetings over the last two yearshavebeenconsumed by hourslong discussions over the brewpub.

Theparishwasalsosued last week by former Gretna police chief ArthurLawson for removing him from the Jefferson Facilities Inc. board at Kerner’srequest. The JeffersonParish Council wasset to vote on twocompeting resolutions impacting the public benefit corporation Wednesday —one to expand the boardand another to restrict its service area to Kerner’scouncil district —but both items were canceled so a compromise could be voted on at the next parish council meeting, which will give each of the three West Bank council members their own board appointment.

Advisory groupsuggestschanges forUNO

Campus readiesfor move to LSUsystem

BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

Thepublicgot apreview of possible changes in store for University of New Orleans during a Wednesday event meant to gin up support —and perhaps funding for UNO’s upcoming move to the LSU system. At apacked meeting at the University Center on UNO’slakefront campus, an advisorygroupmade up of local industry leaders and university officials presentedproposalsforwaystostrengthenUNO, which is scheduledtojoin the LSU system in July

Longer-term ideas the group floatedinclude: explore creating an on-campus hotel and culinary institute, reduce the campus footprintto match itslower enrollment and create new degrees that blend programs at UNO and LSU Health Sciences Center.Officials also said there will be shorter-term changes, including cosmetic upgrades to the campusand sending UNO students whoappliedtoLSUbutdidn’tgetin.

The presentation Wednesday did not explicitly address some con-

CREDIT

Continued frompage1B

New Orleans.”

Improving the rating could be atall order,atleast in the short term. To receive an upgrade, Moody’ssaid the city needs to boost its reserves close to 40% of revenue and show it canoperate without cash flow borrowing. The city last year obtained a$125 million investor loan to make payroll, and Morenohas said another loan is likely needed this year.

The city expects to endthe year with $67 million in reserve, less than half what it held at the end of 2024, according to Moody’s. That’s

COOPER

Continued from page1B

‘I thinkhewas fair’

“He’sstill excited about the next twoyears—it’snotlikehe’sresigning,” said Parish Council member Rick Smith,who said he had been in ameeting Wednesday afternoon that included Cooper.“One thing you can say about Mike Cooper: He works hard.” Cooper’stenure leading the parishhas featured recurring struggles with the government’sbudget. The repeateddefeats of tax propositions aimed at funding state-mandatedcriminaljusticecostshaveat times led to tensionbetween variouselected officials overfunding allocations. DuringCooper’sfirst term, his relationship with the ParishCouncil also became frayed, withthe budget woesasabackdrop. Meanwhile,St.Tammany’ssteady populationgrowthalsocreatedten-

cerns raised by UNOstudentsand faculty,including whether tuition will go up and layoffs willcontinue.

ButLSU Board of Supervisors member Rico Alvendia,whochairedtheadvisory group, assuredstudents andfacultythat UNO will remainaffordableand stay true to its mission.

“My goal, the Board of Supervisors’goal,istokeep UNO, this lakefront campus, going,” Alvendia said, “to preserveits tradition, itsrich history that Iexperienced here.”

Transition plans

ThestateLegislature voted last yeartobegintheprocessofmoving UNO to the LSU system in hopesof stabilizingtheuniversity,whichhas struggledwithlowenrollmentanda glaring budget deficit.

Therecommendations of the LSUNO advisory group —which included morethan 100 local industry leaders including shipbuilder Boysie Bollinger,chefEJLagasse andbankerGarySolomon —will eventually be presented to the Legislature.

On Wednesday,LSU President Wade Rousse said the systemwill ask lawmakersfor additional funding to pay for some of therecom-

about 8% of anticipated operating revenue.

In its report on Tuesday, Moody’scited reserves that “will remain well below peers in the next two years.”

“Governance is akey driver of this rating action, reflecting budget management practices that have led to escalating reliance on reserves,”Moody’ssaid. “The city’snew management teamis actively workingtoreducecosts, though returningtosustainably balanced financial operationsremains achallenge.”

In astatement,City Council BudgetChair Lesli Harrissaid thedowngrade “confirmswhat we already know,the city is facing a serious financial challenge.”

sionsbetween residentsand developersthatCooperandotherelected officials hadtonavigate.

How Cooper’sannouncement Wednesday will shake up the parish’spolitics remains to be seen. But it will likely open thegates for morecandidatesseekingtheparish president’soffice. Three often-rumoredcandidatessaidWednesday they are considering making arun. Parish CouncilmemberLarry Rolling, who was also on theCovington CityCouncil while Cooper was mayor of that city,said Cooper is “a people person.” Rolling saidCooper’sannouncementshockedhimatfirst.Butupon reflection, he said it wasn’t allthat surprising.

“The parish has been through a lot,”hesaid. “There’salot of challenges there.”

JimmyStrickland, theonly Democrat on theParishCouncil, said thatwhile he and Cooper did not always see eye toeye, they have worked well together

“He supported me on alot of differentthings,” Strickland said.

mendedchanges.Healsosaidthere will be “honest evaluations” of programsandpossiblecutstoonesthat don’tattract students or prepare them for available jobs in the region

Therebuilding of UNO will “come from enrollment growth, fiscal discipline and makingtough choices,which is what disruptive change requires,” Rousse said. “Itwill not be easy —nothing truly remarkable is —but we are committed to restoring LSU New Orleans to its rightful place as athriving urbanresearch university.”

In asurveyLSU released last month, more than 60% of students, alumni and facultysaidtheysupported theshift to LSU. Butstudents also voiced concernsthat UNO would become unaffordable or loseits identity as it takeson LSU’spurpleand gold.

On Wednesday, several UNO professors and graduatestudents urged theboard of supervisors to operate with more transparency andhire more staffmembers to remedy years of disinvestment.

“The impact of the transition on workersremainsunclear,”theUnited Campus Workers Unionsaidina statementafter the meeting. “Past

“I am working diligentlytorestorelong-term fiscal stabilityby returning to abalanced city budgetand strengthening our cash reserves,” Harrissaid.

Meanwhile, thedowngrade could significantly increase borrowing costsona $510 million bond salevoters authorized in November for street repairs, drainage upgradesand affordable housing. The timing of the bond salehasn’tbeen announced.

“It is aterrible time for the rating to go down,” said Rebecca Mowbray,chiefexecutive officer of the Bureau of Governmental Research, apublic policywatchdog. “Weneed to fix allsorts of things in our infrastructure, as thebond issue proposal that went

“Some people consider him liberal on issues. He supports the library, things thatIsupported,” Strickland said. “I think he was fair.”

2027 election

Cooper’sdeparture from aparish president campaign in 2027 will no doubt draw morecandidates into the mix.

Cromer,theformerSlidellmayor andlegislatorwhoCooperdefeated in 2023, said Wednesday that his phone was “blowing up” after Cooper’sannouncementdropped.

Asked if he plannedtorun again for the office, Cromer responded “If Itoldyou ‘no’ I’d be lying. I’ve been looking at it sincethe night of the election. …Yes, I’mseriously considering it.”

AndJohn Schroder,aformer St. Tammany legislator who later was Louisiana’streasurer,said he, too, is considering acampaign now that Cooper hassaidhewon’t run.

“Mike and Ihave been friends for 30-plus years. I’d never run against him,”Schroder said.

cuts and layoffs have left us with skeleton crews, andweneedtoinvestinhiring morepeople —staff andfaculty.”

What’s next forLSUNO

Atthemeeting,whichlastedmore than fourhours, officials highlighted changes coming to UNO —and someactions that LSU already has taken on UNO’s behalf.

LSUhasnegotiateddown$250,000 ofUNO’sdebt,collected$1.3million the school was owed fromvendors andidentified $275,000 in overbilling, Alvendia said. The twoinstitutionsalso have begun sharing data so UNO can recruit students who don’tget into LSU. Unlike UNO, whichdropped to 4,000 students this spring, LSU’senrollment has beengrowing. UNO also will be integratedin LSU’sonline learning system, which should enable UNO to serve more students, saidKappie Mumphrey,vicepresidentofLSUonline.

LSU hasflagged UNO classes that could be offered virtually andwill helpprofessors move themonline LSUNO will offer a“fast-track” program that will allow students to more quickly complete an undergraduate degreeatUNO anda graduate health care degree, such as nursing or public health, at LSU

before votersinNovember laid out.”

Moreno has instituted layoffs and furloughs since taking office threeweeks ago, while also pledging to hold theline on essential city services and public safety Her $800 millionoperating budget also includes newrevenue sources, some of which area moving target and notexpected to accrue untillater this year —beefed up parking enforcement, forexample, will require the hiring and training of 50 newofficers.

Thecost-cutting and revenue measures come on the heels of a$160 million spending deficit lastyear,whichcity officials projected to growto$220 million this year without corrective action.

Council member Joe Impastato said of Cooper,“Anything I’ve succeededon,he’shelpedmewith.”He pointed to various recent projects inhisdistrictinLacombe,including anew library and park, as well as the new AdrianRoquette Parkway Impastato, who servedaschairmanofthe council in 2025, said that while he and Cooper have disagreed on some things, such as the recent controversyaround theparish’sMosquito Abatement District, “it’salways been respectful.” Impastatodid not ruleout apossible run for parish president in 2027, but said he would have to do a“lotofthinking about it.”

“I was born to do it anditshould be me,” Impastatosaid, saying he has avision for how to improve the parish.

“But unfortunately forme, becauseofthe baggage that Icarry into this office, Idon’tknow that Icould be successful. Ihave to really evaluate it,” he said, referring to hisfederal conviction and 18-month sentencefor soliciting andreceiving kickbacks as acoun-

Health Sciences Center, said Dr Steve Nelson, the health school’s chancellor. UNO will also seek private funding to revamp its athletic department,saidDavid Sherman, former president of the UNO Alumni Association. He praisedPercy “Master P”Miller,theuniversity’spresident of basketball operations, saying the musicmogulhasgivenmoremoney totheathleticprogramoverthelast sevenyearsthanany otherdonor AnzillaGilmore,who oversees facilitiesand properties across the LSUsystem, said LSUNO must address its “curb appeal” by making cosmetic changestocampus. Then, with state funding, it can chip away at bigger upgrades. A preliminary facilitiessurveyfound morethan$355.5 million in deferredmaintenanceacrosscampus, including to the Lakefront Arena andthe Earl K. LongLibrary,Gilmoresaid.

Anothersurveyfound UNO has lots of extra classroom space, and Gilmore said some campus buildings might need to be closed, torn down or leased out. As enrollment grows, the school could bring back some of thatspace, she added. “Shrinking ourfootprint will be necessarybuttemporary,”shesaid, “asweprepare forgrowth.

Mowbraysaidthe focusby Moody’songovernance “is really damning,”noting the downgrade isn’tinfluenced by external factorslike ahurricaneorother emergency that require reserve spending. She said the city should adopt apolicy requiring areserve of at least17% of revenue,the minimum recommendedbythe Government Finance Officers Association. The city charter requiresa 5% reserve fund.

“These ratings downgrades make clear that allthe ratings agencies wanttosee this,” Mowbray said, referring to areserve policy.

Email BenMyers at bmyers@ theadvocate.com.

cil member after Hurricane Katrina.

Email Willie Swett at willie swett@theadvocate.com.

LOTTERY TUESDAY,FEB.3,2026

PICK 3: 8-1-1

PICK 4: 7-8-8-8

PICK 5: 2-9-8-7-0

MEGA MILLIONS: 5-11-22-25-69

MEGA BALL: 21

Unofficial notification, keep your tickets

Kerner

Chatelain

Murrill to sue N.Y., Calif. in abortion pill battle

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

Louisiana’s attorney general is preparing to sue California Gov Gavin Newsom and New York Gov Kathy Hochul in federal court in an effort to force those states to extradite doctors who face criminal charges for mailing pills to Louisiana for abortions. It’s the only way to “address them protecting people who are openly committed to nullifying and violating our criminal laws in our state,” Attorney General Liz Murrill said in an interview Wednesday Louisiana has sent formal requests to California and New York to extradite doctors in two sepa-

rate criminal cases, both of which involve state felony charges for causing an abortion by means of abortion-inducing drugs. Newsom and Hochul have each refused to turn the doctors over to Louisiana for criminal prosecution. They cite theirstate’sabortionshield laws,whichprotectdoctors and patients from prosecution initiated in states that outlaw abortion.

“As a champion of reproductive freedoms, California will not hesitate to assert its lawful authority to defend the fundamental rights that define us as a state,” Newsom spokespersonMarissaSaldivarsaidinastatement Wednesday. Hochul’s office did not return requests for comment

California Dr Remy Coeytaux was charged in January for mailing abortion pills to a woman in St Tammany Parish who took them and terminated her pregnancy Murrill’s office says.

New York Dr Margaret Carpenter was charged last year for mailing abortion medication to West Baton Rouge Parish, where it was taken by a teenage girl and ended her pregnancy, prosecutors say Abortion conflicts

Legal scholars expect the conflict between states over abortion regulation to inevitably end up in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. Louisiana largely criminalizes abortion and has placed tight restrictions on the two medications that are commonly used together to terminate a pregnancy

Orleans Parish School Board rejects annual fee settlement

BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

Facing pressure from schools to protect their funding, the Orleans Parish School Board on Tuesday voted to reject a settlement offer from the city of New Orleans to end a legal dispute over a fee the city charges that costs the district millions of dollars annually Under the terms of the deal, the city would have paid the district a lump sum to settle the lawsuit, but the district would continue paying an annual tax-collection fee to the city The proposed 7.5% annual fee would cost the school system more than $11 million per year, which school leaders said would come out of their budgets.

Dozens of teachers and school leaders attended the Tuesday evening board meeting to voice their opposition to the city’s latest offer and urge the board to fight for a better deal.

“The board cannot support a proposal that places too large a burden on our schools and, most importantly, on our students,” the School Board said in a statement after the vote, adding that “a fairer, more balanced solution exists” that “recognizes the financial needs of our district while respect-

ing the City’s constraints.”

The decision to turn down the offer means settlement negotiations will continue.

The dispute stems from a 2019 lawsuit in which the school district accused the city of illegally taking excessive fees from sales and property taxes it collects on behalf of the School Board.

The two sides reached a settlement in 2024 that would have done away with the fees entirely, but the agreement was nixed by former Mayor LaToya Cantrell last year who said the city could not afford to lose that funding stream. In the latest negotiations, the city has sought to keep a fee in place, even though City Council members and Mayor Helena Moreno previously said they wanted to end the practice.

Bill Aaron, an attorney for the School Board, said the latest offer from the city included the 7.5% fee on sales tax but eliminated a property tax fee. However because the proposed sales tax fee is higher than the current rate, the school system would end up paying the city about what it pays now: roughly $11 million per year

The city’s proposal also included a lump-sum payment and a commitment to fund education ini-

tiatives Aaron did not share the amount of the proposed payments.

The possibility of an ongoing fee has alarmed school leaders, who have not been part of the negotiations.

Sabrina Pence, CEO of Firstline Schools, told the School Board Tuesday that the 7.5% fee would translate into $850,000 in cuts at each of the network’s four schools.

“There’s just no trimming around the edges at this level,” she said.

After discussing the offer in executive session, the board voted 5-1 to reject it. Board member KaTrina Chantelle Griffin, who cast the lone dissenting vote, said in a statement that she opposes the city’s proposal but intended her vote to oppose authorizing the board’s attorney to negotiate a new deal.

The rejection means negotiations will continue in court. A trial was scheduled to begin this week but was postponed so Judge Nicole Sheppard can first decide whether to allow several schools and the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools to intervene in the legal matter

The city of New Orleans did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Covington man gets life in prison in murder

BY BOB WARREN Staff writer

A Covington man convicted in what authorities called an “ambush” shooting death outside a Lacombe gas station was sentenced Monday to life in prison, plus an additional 60 years, according to the northshore District Attorney’s Office.

Judge Vincent Lobello, of the 22nd Judicial District, handed the sentences to Marrio Haynes Jr., 27, following testimony from the family of Juwarren Martin, the 23-year-old man Haynes was convicted of gunning down in 2023.

The District Attorney’s Office said Lobello sentenced Haynes to life for his second-degree murder conviction, 40 years for obstruction of justice, and 20 years for possession of a gun by a felon. The obstruction and weapons

DEPUTY

Continued from page 1B

figure whenever he entered a room, according to Mann

“He was a big old softy,” she said. Ohlmeyer’s wife of 18 years, Desiree Ohlmeyer, agreed.

“Our daughter Olivia made him even softer when she was born,” she said.

Chris Ohlmeyer’s family coworkers and friends have spent thepastfivedaysswappingstories, shedding tears and sharing laughs as they remember the 41-year-old father of two who died Jan. 30 after he was hit by a car while on his motorcycle, escorting a funeral procession in New Orleans.

The Sheriff’s Office will lay Ohlmeyer to rest Thursday with a viewing from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m followed by a funeral service at the Jefferson Parish Performing Arts Center at 6400 Airline Drive in Metairie.

Kind dance dad

In the days following his death, Desiree Ohlmeyer said she’s heard

sentences will run at the same time as the life sentence, Lobello ruled, telling Haynes at one point: “You have zero remorse for what you did. It was the most cowardly act that I’ve seen.”

A St. Tammany Parish jury convicted Haynes last month of fatally shooting Martin at the gas station on U.S. 190 on Dec. 26, 2023, following a conflict that had begun earlier that day when the victim’s sister and Haynes’ girlfriend, identified by the District Attorney’s Office as Megan Ayanna Coleman, got into a fight at a tobacco store in Abita Springs.

The office said Haynes exited a black Hyundai Elantra with an “AR-15 style rifle” and fired a single shot into Martin’s torso from behind Witnesses said Haynes had declared his intent to kill Martin moments before shooting him, the office had previously reported.

from many about her husband’s kindness. One woman reached out after spotting his photo in news reports about the crash. The woman realized that Chris Ohlmeyer was the deputy who stopped her for speeding but was so delightful that she didn’t even mind taking the ticket.

“He was just the nicest person,” Mann said.

Chris Ohlmeyer was born and raised in Metairie. He graduated from East Jefferson High School in 2005. He and Desiree Ohlmeyer met when she was working at the Come Back Inn, a Metairie mom and pop restaurant.

The couple would playfully clash over who approached whom. Desiree Ohlmeyer insists that while she had a crush, it was he who took the first steps Chris Ohlmeyer then took a job at the restaurant, and the two began dating a year later

“The rest is history,” Desiree Ohlmeyer said.

The pair were loving, affectionate, cute and hilarious, according to Mann Chris Ohlmeyer was a doting father to son Gavin, 20, and Olivia,

California and New York, in contrast, broadly allow abortion until fetal viability They’ve also passed state-level shield laws designed to prevent anti-abortion states from pursuing legal action against their residents over reproductive health care.

“They don’t agree with the laws of our state, and so they have this whole system set up to nullify our laws,” Murrill said. “I think that is an affront to the full faith and credit that our state is afforded under the United States Constitution.”

The Constitution’s “full faith and credit clause” requires courts in one state to respect the laws and judgments of courts from other states, though there are exceptions.

Murrill said mailing abortion pills to Louisiana is like sending

someone a gun who isn’t allowed to have one under state law or deadly drugs like fentanyl that end up killing a child.

“This conduct is unethical medically unethical — in addition to being illegal,” she said.

Murrill said the legal question that will be at play in the federal lawsuits deals with the Constitution’s extradition clause, which requires states to respect extradition requests from other states for fugitives who commit crimes and “flee from justice.”

“We’re dealing with some Supreme Court precedent that we think is wrong, but that’s what they’re relying on to say they can both nullify or laws and then protect people from having to answer for their illegal conduct in our state,” she said.

Crescent City Classic announces partners

Race organizers set registration details

BY JONI HESS Staff writer

New Orleans’ annual 10K foot race will return this spring with nearly 30 local nonprofit partners that stand to benefit from the Crescent City Classic Foundation’s $1 million fundraising goal.

The Foundation on Monday along with title sponsor LCMC, announced a list of nonprofits it’s partnering with through its Run For It program for the race that converges Easter weekend.

The 29 organizations will recruit and organize teams who aim to raise a minimum of $200 for their cause. Individual team members receive a lowered registration cost of $50 compared with regular runners or walkers who pay $70 to sign up.

“The New Orleans community never ceases to amaze us with their generosity when it comes to charitable giving and supporting those in need throughout our area,” race director Eric Stuart said. “We couldn’t be prouder of raising nearly $8 million from our Run For It program, and we strive every year to beat the previous year’s grand total and hit our goal of at least $1 million.”

Haynes fled and Coleman picked him up a short distance away, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

One of Martin’s family members testified that Martin’s son will now grow up without a father

“You’re a coward,” the family member, who the office did not identify in the news release, told Haynes.

Haynes declined to make a statement in court, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

“Today’s sentence ensures that Mr. Haynes will never again be a threat to the peace and safety of our community,” northshore District Attorney Collin Sims said in the news release.

Coleman faces charges of principal to second-degree murder and obstruction of justice Trial is scheduled for April, according to Sims’ office.

13. An eager dance dad, Ohlmeyer was front and center for his daughter’s recitals, according to Mann. And when Gavin was in high school wrestling for Archbishop Rummel, he was in the crowd with his eyes on the mat.

Though firm with Gavin, Olivia was daddy’s little princess who could do no wrong, the family recalled, laughing. In the past few months, Gavin said his talks with his father had changed, becoming more wideranging and more mature. He said he felt closer to his dad.

“He was definitely a man of few words. But if you get to know him on a personal, deeper level, he was very powerful, and he had a lot of knowledge,” Gavin said.

Desire to help

Ohlmeyer set his sights on a career in law enforcement during a trip to the grocery store to buy baby food for Gavin. The couple witnessed a purse snatching in the parkinglot,DesireeOhlmeyersaid.

“As soon as that man stole that lady’s purse, Chris chased him down. But there was a getaway car,” she said. “I think that was his ‘I want to

The yearly race has raised millions of dollars for nonprofit causes in the four decades its operated, such as youth homelessness, inclusion for those with specialneedsandfamilieswithbabies in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Race organizers introduced the Run For It program in 2013 and since then, nearly $8 million has been doled out to more than 35 charities.

The race has drawn elite runners both locally and nationwide.

But hundreds of participants also don eccentric costumes or chug coolers of beer as they walk or jog along the 6.2-mile route that winds from the Superdome, through downtown to City Park where a celebratory festival awaits at the finish line.

Last year about 18,000 runners and walkers signed up, a feat after a significant drop in the post-COVID years but well below the 25,000 it has typically drawn. LCMC Health has been a title sponsor of

help’ moment.” Ohlmeyer worked for two years with the Orleans Parish Sherriff’s Office before joining the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in 2011.

After transferring to the traffic division a year ago, Ohlmeyer decided to take the department’s BasicPoliceMotorcycleCourse,arigorous 80-hour class that’s required to become a motorcycle deputy, according to Mann.

“WhenhepassedtheclassinSeptember he was so happy That was everything to him,” Mann said.

Though they worried about him on the bike, friends and family knew Ohlmeyer would do everything in his power to be safe and ride by the book.

“His family, that’s his whole life,” Mann said. “He would never do anythingthatwouldjeopardizehim coming home to his family.”

The New Orleans Police Department is still investigating the cause of the deadly wreck. But authorities have said Ohlmeyer was rearended by another vehicle during the funeral procession.

The biggest heart

Desiree Ohlmeyer said the

n Ainsley’sAngels

the event for the past three years.

“The Classic embodies our values of community and wellness, sharing our vision for a healthier New Orleans,” LCMC Health CEO Greg Feirn said in a Thursday statement. “Together, we are committed to the health and vitality of the communities we serve, and we look forward to another amazing race day.”

Before race day, organizers will host the 2026 Health & Fitness Expo on April 2-3 at the Hyatt Regency Runners who attend can pick up their race bibs and Tshirts, and stay for fitness classes and free food and drinks.

After the race, the Michelob Ultra RaceFest in City Park is open to all runners and to their friends andfamily Friendsandfamilycan purchase tickets in advance for $20 for adults and $10 for children ages 6 to 12, and on race day, for $25 and $15 respectively

The48thannualracetakesplace at 8 a.m. April 4.

Email Joni Hess at joni.hess@ theadvocate.com.

nights have been the hardest, when the house is quiet and she must sleep alone.

“I’ve slept alone many nights because he was working details, but I knew he was coming home,” she said.

Chris Ohlmeyer has always been a loving presence and a partner in her life.

“Chris loved hard. He had the biggest heart,” she said. The constant stream of visiting relatives and friends has helped immensely, Desiree Ohlmeyer said. Growing up, her husband had a difficult time opening up enough to make friends. He often felt isolated.

But the stories and laughs shared by his Sheriff’s Office colleagues in the days since his death have given her comfort knowing that he made countless friends who allowed him to be himself, to be silly, to be serious, to be family

“The amount of support that we’ve gotten from the department,” she said, pausing, “I don’t want to lose this for my kids.”

Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate.com.

Murrill

Ceasar,Gloria

Davis, Wanda St.Cyr,Bobbie Duffy, Bernard Garrison,Anthony GuitrozJr.,Noe

Garrison,Anthony Jackson, Johnny Lafrance, Mechelly James, Lorraine Smith,B'ritain Lafrance, Mechelly Lewis, Tommie

Leydecker,Gerald Ceasar,GloriaEmma

Lieux,

Peterand Paul Catholic Church in Decatur, Georgia, for many years, where she worshippedconsistently and remained deeply con‐nectedtothe parish com‐munity.A Mass of Christ‐ian Burial will be cele‐bratedatSt. PeterClaver Catholic Church,1923 St PhilipStreet,New Orleans, Louisiana,onSaturday, February7,2026. Visitation willbegin at 9:00 a.m.,fol‐lowed by Mass at 10:00 a.m.Interment will follow atProvidenceMemorial Parkand Mausoleum. Arrangementsare en‐trusted to D.W. Rhodes Fu‐neral Home,3933 Washing‐ton Ave. NewOrleans,La.

Mary Martin,Joanne Davis, WandaHughes

McNair Jr., James MilanJr.,Warren Phillips, Gwendolyn Rhodes, Carmel

St.Cyr,Bobbie

Scott, Shirley

Smith,B'ritain

TorreganoSr.,Errol

White,Larry Wright,Malcolm

Leydecker,Gerald

James, Lorraine

Boyd Family

McNair Jr., James Phillips, Gwendolyn

Charbonnet

Davis, Wanda Rhodes, Carmel Scott, Shirley

DW Rhodes

Ceasar,Gloria

Martin,Joanne Wright,Malcolm

EstelleJWilson JacobSchoen

White,Larry MilanJr.,Warren

Lake Lawn Metairie

Duffy, Bernard

Majestic Mortuary

GuitrozJr.,Noe

Gloria Emma Ceasar de‐partedthislifeonWednes‐day,January 28, 2026 at the age of 79. Born in NewYork City, shewas thebeloved daughterofWillieMae “Lulu”Tassinand Leonard Ceasar, Sr.She is survived byher siblings:Barbara Age (Burnell),UrsulaC Morgan, GilbertCeasar (Anna), andGrace London She wasprecededindeath byLeonard Ceasar (Sheila), Beverly Haynes,Joseph Ceasar, andRonaldCeasar. She also leaves to cherish her memory herdevoted goddaughter,Aliya Rheams, alongwitha host ofnieces, nephews, other relatives,and friends. Fol‐lowinghighschool,Gloria attendedJob CorpsinOk‐lahoma, where shedistin‐guished herselfasa top student.Asa result of her academicexcellenceand workethic,she received a job offerwithPhilcoFordin Philadelphia, where she workedfor severalyears She laterreturnedtoNew Orleans andcontinued her professionalcareer with the UrbanLeague, remain‐ing committed to service and professional growth Glorialater beganher long and successful career with IBM in NewOrleans.She subsequentlytransferred toGeorgia,where she madeAtlanta herhome. Duringher tenure at IBM, Gloriadeveloped systems thatimprovedefficiency and savedthe company money,earning profes‐sionalrecognition andop‐portunities to travel to train employeesatother locations.She worked for IBM forseveral decades, spanningfromthe 1970s through the1990s. An avid traveler, Gloria explored Europeand theCaribbean and shared many of those journeyswithher mother She enjoyed landscaping and caring forher dog‐wood treesand hada deep lovefor nature,peaceful outdoor spaces,and New Orleans cuisine—espe‐cially po-boys. Shealso cherished lifelong friend‐ships,particularlywith Jerri,Earnestine, Clozell, and Charlotte.Gloriawas a faithfulparishioner at St

WandaHughesDavis entered eternalreston Tuesday,January 27, 2026 atthe ageof67. Shewas bornonJuly12, 1958, to Alexand BessieHughes and wasthe seventhof ninechildren. From an early age, Wandaembod‐ied faith,service,and re‐silience—qualitiesthatde‐finedher life andlegacy. A graduateofJohnMcDo‐nough Senior High School Wanda laterstudied horti‐culture,reflecting herlove for growth andnurturing others. On herbirthdayin 1986, shemarried thelove ofher life,Rev.Lionel Davis,Sr. From theirunion wereborntwo children,Li‐onelDavis,Jr. andChina Lynel Davis, who were the pride andjoy of herlife. Wanda acceptedChristat anearly ageand wasbap‐tized at Asia Baptist Church.After marriage, she joined PentecostBap‐tistChurch,where she faithfullyservedalongside her husband,particularly after he wascalledtopas‐tor in 2001. As FirstLady, Wanda served with humil‐ity anddedication, holding numerousleadershiproles including Presidentofthe Women’s Department and founder of thePentecost GoldenAgers Senior Pro‐gram. Followingher hus‐band’spassing in 2023, Wanda returned to Asia Baptist Church,where she remainedactiveinmultiple ministries. Shealsoserved faithfullywithinthe First DistrictMissionaryBaptist Association andwas Presi‐dentofthe Ministers’ Wivesand Widows forover a decade.Wanda waswell known forher signature hats, which reflectedher confidence, joy, andunmis‐takable presence.She leavestocherish hermem‐ory,her children,Lionel Davis,Jr. andChina Lynel Davis;her daughter-inlaw, Kristin Davis; hergrand‐children, Lionel DavisIII, EdenDavis,and Aeris Davis;her mother,Bessie Hughes;siblings, extended

family, church family, and friends.She waspreceded indeath by herhusband, Rev.LionelDavis,Sr.;her father, Alex Hughes;and siblings, Brenda Lawson and Alex Hughes,Jr. A Viewing andMusical Trib‐ute will be held at TheAsia Baptist Church,1400 Sere Street,New Orleans, LA 70122 on Friday,February6, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. Mrs. Davis willlie in statefrom3:00 p.m.until 5:45 p.m. Rela‐tives andfriends arein‐vited to attend theCele‐bration of Life Serviceat The Asia BaptistChurch on Saturday, February 7, 2026 at10:00 a.m. Visitation at 8:30a.m.There will be no finalviewing.Interment at Mount Olivet Cemetery 4000 Norman MayerAve., New Orleans, LA.Please signthe online guestbook atwww.charbonnetfuner alhome.com. Charbonnet Labat Glapion, Directors (504) 581-4411.

Bernard Stephen Duffy passed away peacefully on January25, 2026, at theage of 79. He was born on September 21, 1946, in New York City to Helen Frances Lane and Stephen Donald Duffy. He grew up in the Bellerose areaofQueens, NY and moved to New Orleans in the summer of 1969.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his aunt,Mary "May" Duffy, and hiscousin, Susan Newman (the late James), with whomheshared a birthday. He was also preceded in deathbyhis inlaws, Anthony and Rita Vinturella.

He is survivedbyhis loving wife of 53 years, Ann -MarieVinturellaDuffy, his daughters, MichelleDuffy Schexnider (Will) and Denise M. Duffy, and his grandchildren, Eva Morenc, LauraMorenc, Blake Schexnider, and Caleb Schexnider. He is also survivedbyhis brotherin-law and sister-in-law, Nick and Naomi Vinturella, his niece and godchild, Melissa VinturellaButler (Greg), cousins, Naomi Bologna Ross (Matthew), Caroline Bologna Nickens (Michael), Jimmy, Brian and SofiaNewman,and his lifelong friends, Joe Sommers and Karl Peterson, fondly known as "the Bellerose boys" Bernard graduated from ArchbishopMolloy High School in Briarwood,NY where he ran track. He earneda master's degree in chemical engineering from ManhattanCollege and acertification in accounting fromLoyola University of NewOrleans.

He retiredin2019 as an accountant for Bourbon Saloon, Inc. Barney was a parishionerofSt. Philip Neri ChurchinMetairie. He lovedwatching Jeopardy andPerry Masonand was an LSUfootballand NY Yankeesbaseballfan. He also lovedtoread andwas afrequent patronofthe East Bank Regional Library. He enjoyed WWII history, sportstrivia,and hada great sense of humor. He will be greatly missed and fondlyremembered by his family, friends, andneighbors. Afuneral service will be held on Friday, February 6, 2026, at St.PhilipNeri Church,6500 Kawanee Ave Metairie, LA. Visitationwill be held from11AM- 12:30 PM with aMass to begin at 12:30 PM.Interment will follow at Metairie Cemetery DonationsinBernard's name may be made to the OchsnerCancerInstitute at giving.ochsner.org

Garrison, Anthony Eric 'Big Pimp'

AnthonyEricGarrison, (also knownasBig Pimp), entered into eternalrest onSaturday, January17, 2026. Anthonywas alife‐longresidentofOakville, Louisiana.Anthony was bornonSeptember 2, 1969, tothe late OscarGarrison, Sr. andVeraldine Garrison Through marriage to ChristieWilliams, Anthony was thedevoted andlov‐ing father of thelateAsia Garrison; stepfather of Shambriel (Clifton) Bartholomew andthe grandfather of Markhi and CaylieBatholomew. NephewofSteve (Char‐lotte)Turner, Lana (Ben‐jamin,Sr.)Jones,Jacquelyn Littleton,BenjaminJr.,Jef‐feryTurner, Gloria Bougere,Paula (Roger) Ancar,Geraldine Garrison, and DorisTurner, andthe late; Raymund Hart,Henry, Ellery, Errol(Annie) and Gaynell Turner,Shirley Williamand O’Malley (Jane)and RichardGarri‐son.Anthony will be sadly missedbyhis devoted friends,GeorgeWallace, DawandSmith,Sr. Matthew Wallace, Melvin Wilson,and DonesiaJohn‐son (who he fondly re‐ferredtoasRed Bean). He was thegodsonofthe late Ernestand ShirleyTucker. Hewas thegodfather of StefonMcKinneyand John Fortmayer.Anthony at‐tendedBelle Chasse High School.Hewas employed atLil G’sRestaurantfor overten years. He also workedfor 2Brothaand a Sista’s Lawn Servicewith hisnephewErrol Ragas,

andAutoBodyShop23. Anthony enjoyedboiling seafood forfamilyand friends andlistening to old school music. Hisfavorite songs were “DownHome Blues”and “Walking the Dog”.Hewas thelifeofthe party.Anthony wasa diehardSaintsFan.For An‐thony,itwas thesimple moments that broughtthe deepestjoy—sitting on the porch with hiscousin Georgeand thefellows, talking smack, or sittingin his backyard alongside Tommy Morris. Thesemo‐ments were timesofhappi‐nessfor him. He leaves to cherish hislovingmemo‐ries, hissiblings, Chenelle (Walter)Ragas,Oscar Gar‐rison,Jr.,Bertha Barthelemy, andLisa (Larry Rowan);his step‐daughterand grandchil‐dren; nine nieces,six nephews,13great-nieces, 12great-nephews,four great-great nieces,one great-great nephew anda hostofother relativesand friends.Heisprecededin death by hisparents,ma‐ternaland paternal grand‐parents,one daughter,one brother-in-law, oneniece, one nephew,one sister-inlaw,fouraunts, andeight uncles. Relativesand friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend thefuneral service on Saturday,Febru‐ary 7, 2026 at Robinson FamilyFuneral Home 9611 LA-23, Belle Chasse LA.The visitationwillbegin at 9:30AMfollowedbyan 11AMservice.Rev.Leander Taylorwillofficiateand en‐tombmentwillfollowin Bahyi Cemetery.For online condolences please visit www.robinsonfamilyfuner alhome.com

GuitrozJr.,Noe Joseph NoeJosephGuitroz,Jr., bornMay 16, 1943 anden‐tered into rest January18, 2026. AMassofChristian BurialwillbeheldonSat‐urday,February7,2026 at 10:00am at St.RitaCatholic Church 2729 LowerlineSt. New Orleans, LA 70125. Vis‐itation will beginat 9:00am. Burial will be pri‐vate. Professional Arrange‐ments EntrustedtoMajes‐tic Mortuary Service, Inc. (504)523-5872.

Jackson was aman defined by love,loyalty, andquiet strength.To know himwas to be loved by him, and hispresence left alastingimpression on everyoneheencountered Born to thelate

Duffy, Bernard Stephen

Jackson, Johnny Jahi

Councilman Johnny Jackson, Jr. and Ara Jean Jackson, Jahi was the youngest of his siblings, yet carried himself with the confidence and protection of the biggest little brother. Aman of few words, he spoke with intention, moving through life with class, authenticity, and purpose. Jahi was adedicated Oil and Gas Contractor who took pride in his work and lived with excellence. He also had adeep appreciation for fashion and luxury cars, always presenting himself with effortless style and an eye for quality. In his free time, Jahi wasagamer and afantasy football aficionadowith multiple MVP nods in trash talk.

Family meant everything to Jahi. His love for his mother was unwavering, guiding every decision he made. Hissiblings Samantha, Kevin, Jeanne, Johnann (Azalia), and Kenyatta (Donald) adored their baby brother and he adored them. As their family grew, he poured love into his nieces and nephews: Kenyata, Britney, Kevin, Louis, Aaliyah, Amirya, My'Jahnia,Caesar, Kayla, Nava, DJ, Kelsey, ToryeJr., Micah, Kiara,Darius, Maci, Mason, Kerri, Simi, Kali, Cameron, and Kamora and his five godchildren: Brian, Gemanie, Diante, Jovan Jr., andChase.

Jahi also shared abrotherhood of 30+ years with a core group of close friends turned family including but certainlynot limited to Al Armon, Bo, Chauncy, Hollis Jamar, Johnson brothers TJ, DJ, and CJ, Jovan, Luther, Mitchell,Quannas, Rob, and his female bestie, Quiana. Through these friendships, we witnessed love, loyalty, and joy. Though his life was far too short, Jahi's impact is lasting. His absence reminds us to love more deeply, laugh more freely, and hold one another closer. He will be missed always and remembered forever.

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Lorraine James, whotransitioned on Sunday, January 18, 2026. She is survived by her husband Ernest James Jr.; her children, Dr. Ernest James III, Sean James (Shareese), and Erica James (Karl Holiday); along with ahost of siblings, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, family and friends Funeral service willbe held on Friday, February 6, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., with visitation beginning at 9:00 a.m. at Little Zion Baptist Church, located at 2200 Kenner Avenue, Kenner, Louisiana 70062. Interment: Providence Memorial Park, Metairie LA. Richardson Funeral Home of Jefferson, River Ridge, LA is in charge of arrangements. www.richards onfuneralhomeofjefferson. com.

Lafrance,Mechelly Lee'Booda'

thesimplejoysoflife, from spendingtimewithloved onestogetting herhair and nailsdone. Sheleaves behindher loving parents, IreneDeclouet Lafrance and Hayven Lafrance;her siblings, Hayvenisha Lafrance,Maranda Lafrance,Ireneka Declouet, IrieanaLafrance, and Makayla Declouet,and HayvenLafranceJr. and HaydenLafrance;her part‐ner,Tyren Johnson; her godparents, Shaketha Brown andZimbary Brown; and ahostofrelatives and friends who will forever carry hermemoryintheir hearts. Though hertime withuswas fartoo short, Mechelly’slifeoverflowed withlove, laughter,and joy.She will be deeply missedand forevercher‐ished.Relatives,friends, and co-workeratOPSOare invited to attend thefu‐neral serviceonSaturday, February7,2026 at Fisher Community Church,1737 L B Landry Ave.,New Orleans LA. 70114. The visitation willbegin at 8a.m.fol‐lowed by a10a.m.service BishopJ.N.Brown will offi‐ciate andentombmentwill followinWestlawnCeme‐teryinGretna. Funeral planningentrusted to RobinsonFamilyF.H.Online condolences www.robinso nfamilyfuneralhome.com.

TommieLee Lewis, en‐tered into rest on January 25, 2026. AFuneralService willbeheldonSaturday, February7,2026 at 11:00am atGentillyBaptist Church 5141 Franklin Ave. NOLA 70122. Visitation will begin at10:00am.Interment will bePrivate.Professional ArrangementsEntrusted to MajesticMortuaryService, Inc. (504)523-5872.

hisclients. Hissharp mind and deep knowledgeen‐abled himto find resource‐ful solutions. Foryears,you could find himholding court at restaurant bars throughoutthe city.Hehad strongopinionsand a strongpersonality.Heen‐joyed agood debate,and hewas convincedhehad won everyone of them Jerry wasgenerouswith his resourcesand his knowledge.Heloved his family, hispartner,and his friends.Hetraveledall overthe globewithhis partner Joannfor baseball trips,Vegas andvisiting historicalsites throughout the world. He enjoyedshar‐ing histravelstories with his grandchildrenand in‐stillinginthemthe desire toexplore theworld.He alsoenjoyed running, and hecompleted multiple marathons in hisfreetime. Helived afulllifeand was veryloved by hisfamily. Relatives andfriends are invited to attend the memorialservicesonSat‐urday,February7,2026, at the Garden of Memories FuneralHomeand Ceme‐teryat4900 AirlineDrive, Metairie, LA,70001. Visita‐tionwillbegin at 9:00 am witha Mass followingat 11:00 am.Burialwilltake place after Mass in Garden ofMemoriesCemetery. To offeronlinecondolences, send flowerstothe family, orplant atreeinmemory ofGerald“Jerry”J.Ley‐decker, please visitwww gardenofmemoriesmetairi e.com.

ents, John EsperMarionneauxand Maria Alice Gravois Marionneaux, and her eldest brother, John EsperMarionneaux, Jr. The family wouldliketo express their deepest gratitudetophysicians, Lara Falcon, MD and Joseph Deumite, MD; her caregivers, Mary AnnBattley, Louise Joseph, Joyce Dixon, Janice Temple and Iotomeos Butler, and the nurses and staff of St. JosephHospice.Inlieuof flowers and masses, the family asks that memorial donations be madetoSt. Augustine Catholic Church Building Fund,P.O. Box 548, NewRoads, LA 70760.

Martin,Joanne

With sadnessweshare thepassing of Joanne Mar‐tin, on January26, 2026 Please visitwww.rhodesf uneral.comtoviewservice information, sign online guestbook,sendflowers andshare condolences.

"WarrenJames Milan, Jr diedpeacefully at his homeonJanuary 27, 2026 atthe ageof68. Jay, as he was knowntofamilyand friends,was born on May 29, 1957, in Galveston, Texas to Warren James Milan,Sr. andKathryn Jane Rowe. He is proceeded in death by hisfatherand mother. Jayissurvivedby his brotherRussell, his cherished family--daugh‐ter,Jodie ChristineMilan Schmidt (Edmond),three grandchildren,Ethan, Oliverand Amelia Schmidt, and alovingstep-mother, Jacquelyn Lore Milan. Jay was agraduateofBrother MartinHighSchool.Hewas a fabricatorbyprofession, a callingheloved,travel‐lingtosites outsidethe US A good person,his memory willbecherished allwho knewhim.Familyand friends areinvited to at‐tendvisitationonSatur‐day,February7,2026, at Jacob Schoen &SonsFu‐neral Home at 3827 Canal Street at 10 AM followed by a Mass of ChristianBurial. Graveside services arepri‐vate. DonationstoSt. Jude'sHospitalorSt. Ed‐wardthe ConfessorChurch for MassesinJay's mem‐ory arepreferred."

CP3Family, andthe Texas InstituteofNeurological Disorders,are invitedtoat‐tendthe FuneralService on Saturday, February 7, 2026 for 10:00 a.m. at Corinthian MissionaryBaptist #2,2601 Jackson Ave.,New Orleans, LA70113. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. Pastor Nigel Thompson,officiat‐ing.Interment will be on Monday, February 9, 2026 for 11:00 a.m. at Southeast Louisiana Veterans Ceme‐tery, 34888 Grantham Col‐legeDrive,Slidell,LA70460 Guestbook Online:www anewtraditionbegins.com (504)282-0600. Linear BrooksBoydand Donavin D.BoydOwners/FuneralDi‐rectors

Rhodes,Carmel Tzuchenow

Mechelly LeeLafrance

“Booda” enteredeternal restonJanuary 25, 2026, at the ageof25. Mechelly was aloving, kind,and gentlesoulwhose laughter and warmth touched everyoneshe met. Shehad a specialway of making peoplefeelseen,loved and cherished. Shewas a proud graduate of LandryWalkerHighSchooland an activememberofthe schoolband, shecarried her vibrantspiritand dedi‐cationintoeverythingshe did.She wasemployedas a CMTwiththe Orleans ParishSheriff Office Mechellycared deeply for others, always showing compassion, strength and a heartfulloflove. She cherished herfamily, her partnerTyren Johnson, and

Leydecker, Gerald J. 'Jerry' Gerald “Jerry”J.Ley‐deckerpassedaway peacefullyonJanuary 29 2026. Jerryisprecededin death by hisparents,John Leydecker andRubyDay; his siblings,John“Buddy Leydecker,Anna Leydecker Heinsz, ShirleyLeydecker Seitz,LorraineLeydecker Autin,and CynthiaLey‐decker; andhis son, Brian D.Leydecker.Jerry is sur‐vived by hisdevoted part‐ner of over 40 years, Joann Cuccio; hischildren, James Leydecker (Ginny), Craig Leydecker,and Dana Ley‐deckerCamenzuli (Robert), and hisbeloved grandchil‐dren, Marcus Leydecker (Maddie),JosiahLey‐decker, Juliette Camenzuli, VeronicaCamenzuli; his loyal dogFreckles; andhis lovingbrother,Raymond Leydecker.Jerry wasborn and raised in theNew Or‐leans Carrollton neighbor‐hood andgraduated from Fortier High School.Soon after,hejoinedthe Navy where he wasdeployedto the Pacificasanexpertin Morse code.After serving his countryhebecamea fireman, ataxidriverfor UnitedCab,and an insur‐ance adjuster forThe Hart‐fordInsurance Company. Whileadjusting claims,he realized he hadanambi‐tiontobe an attorney.He tenaciously worked multi‐ple jobs anddrove to LSU for classtopursuehis dream of becoming an at‐torney. LSUNOsoon opened, allowing himto graduateinthe firstclass ofwhatisnow UNO. He thengraduated from Loy‐ola LawSchool.Heprac‐ticed lawinNew Orleans for over 60 yearsand made the path forhis sons to continue hislegacy. He loved practicinglaw.He was an accomplishedliti‐gator who gave hisall to everyonehe represented. Jerry’s personalitywas largerthan life.Hewas proud of hisnickname “Loophole Leydecker,” which he earned from his zealousrepresentationof

Mary Alice Marionneaux Lieux, bornFebruary 7, 1933 in Plaquemine, LA died peacefully and entered into the Kingdom of God on January27, 2026. Visitation willbeonSaturday, February 7atNiland's Funeral Home in New Roadsfrom 8:30 to 10:30 am followedbythe Mass of theResurrection at 11 am celebrated by Rev. Miles Walsh. BurialtofollowatSt. Mary Cemetery. Mary Alice was agraduate of Livonia High School.She received aB.S.inElementary Education from the University of Southwestern Louisiana and M. Ed. in Supervision fromLSU.She did post graduateworkat NicholsStateUniversity and LSU. Mary Alicewas a devoted educatorwho began her teaching careerat Opelousas Elementary and Livonia Elementary. On November 23, 1957, Mary Alice married Theordore Richard (Ted) Lieux.Her teaching career was puton holdafter her marriage as she and her husband began their family.In1963, at therequest of the Sisters of St. Joseph, she returned to theclassroom. She spent 8years as ateacher and 15 years as middle schoolprincipal at Catholic of PointeCoupee. She retired in 1990 after 4years as ateacheratHolyFamily in PortAllen.She is survivedbyher threechildren,Sr. LynneLieux, RSCJ, MargaretAlice Lieux Pavlovich(Steve), and Theodore Richard Lieux, Jr., MD (Lea Ann). She is also survivedbyher four grandchildrenwho were thedelight of her life:Caroline Lieux Sowell, MD (Erik), TheodoreR."Ted" Lieux, III(Anna Claire), Molly Lieux Furrow, MD (Michael) and Jack Lieux, and her greatgrandson, John Sowell.She is also survivedbyher brother, James Marionneaux (Imogene)and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband,TheodoreR "Ted" Lieux, her infant daughters, Jane Elizabeth and Anne Marie, her par-

JamesMcNairJr. was born on February 13, 1947 to thelateJames McNair Sr.and Mary AugustaMc‐Nair whoprecededhim in death. He enteredeternal rest on January21, 2026, at theage of 78. He wasa na‐tive of Gulfport,Mississippi andmoved to NewOr‐leans, Louisianain1953 Jamesacceptedhis per‐sonalLordand Savior and wasbaptizedin1982 by the late Pastor,Rev.JohnBur‐kett,atGloryland Mt GillionBaptist Church Jamesbegan workingfor theMarriottHotelsin1976 andretired with 25 yearsof dedicatedservice as ame‐chanical engineer.James leaves to cherishhis de‐votedwifeof60years Pa‐tricia McNair;children: Geraldine“Deany” McNair Decatur, Ga., TammyLyn McNair,and JamesMcNair III of thehome; grandchil‐dren:MaciJohnson,Trav‐iusEvans, KristenJohnson, Holdyn Sparkman,Nigel Pringle, andgreat-grand‐daughter Diyuor Evange‐line Harvey Evans. There were five brothers andtwo preceded himindeath: KennethMcNair, Donald McNair,(Tanya) andPaul McNair.Six sisters: four preceded himindeath DebbieHudson(Walter) andDonaldmarie Bailey (Aaron); sisters-in-law:De‐loresSmith andMarie Dixon; Godchild:Kendrick Thompson, anda host of nieces,nephews,cousins extended family,and friends. Family andfriends areinvited to attend the FuneralService on Friday February 6, 2026, for11:00 a.m. at GlorylandMt. GillionBaptist Church,1515 Oretha Castle HaleyBlvd., NewOrleans,LA70113. Vis‐itationwillbegin at 9:00 a.m. Pastor Norman Sto‐vall,officiating. Interment will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery. Guestbook On‐line:www.anewtraditionbe gins.com (504)282-0600. Linear BrooksBoydand DonavinD.BoydOwn‐ers/FuneralDirectors

GwendolynBrumfield PhillipsofNew Orleans passedawaypeacefully on Jan.26, 2026. Gwendolyn Phillipswas 65 yearsold Beloved wife of Kendall Phillips, mother of Kenyon Phillips, grandmotherof Khodi Phillips.Beloved daughterofMitchelland LizzieBrumfield. Shewas the bonus mother to Kendtrell Short, KendallJr. and KennikquaPhillipsand MelvinFields. Bonus grandmother of 13 grand‐childrenand 2great-grand‐children. Gwendolynwas the sister of Jessieand Vic‐tor (Gail) Brumfield, and the GodmotherofMimi Chaney. Sheisalsosur‐vived by ahostofnieces, nephews,cousins,rela‐tives,and friends. Gwen is precededindeath by her parents Mitchell andLizzie Brumfield, bonus son Jamal Phillips,siblings: Lu‐cretiaLewis,OleviaHam‐mond, M. LBrumfield, GenevaHolmes, Verlee Chaney, 8auntsand 2un‐cles. Family,friends,and employees of theVeterans Administration, CoxCable, East JeffersonHospital,

Carmel Tzuchenow Rhodes transitioned on January18, 2026, at theage of 51. Carmel wasbornon March13, 1974, to the union of thelateMs. Jacqueline Rhodes andMr. Arthur Wells andlovingly raised by ElderHenry Navarreand Mary Navarre from theage of onemonth Carmel attended Florence J. ChesterElementary School,James Durham MiddleSchool Warren Eas‐tonand latertransferred to Booker T. Washington High School.Carmelleavesto cherishhis many memo‐ries,one daughter,Arian Rhodes;4 granddaughters, RiyanBrown, AerinSmith Talynand AspynJohnson Hisfather, ElderHenry (Mary) Navarre, 4sisters: NadiaRhodes, Trineese Jackson, Jonterence and Ningel Carter,1 brother WayneCarter; 3aunts, Paulette Jolla,Emma James, andIrisRhodes; 2 uncles,CarmelWilliam (Linda)and Lindsy (Shirley)Rhodes. Ahostof nieces,nephews,cousins andother relatives. Carmel is preceded in deathbyhis mother,JacquelineI Rhodes;brother,Henry Rhodes;grandparents, Iris T. Rhodes andWilliam A. Rhodes;great-grandpar‐ents OscarF.and AliceB Inniss. FuneralServices honoring thelifeofCarmel Rhodes will be held at New Home Family WorshipCen‐ter, 1616 Robert C. Blakes Sr., Dr., NewOrleans,LA 70130 on Friday,February6, 2026 at 10:00 am.Visitation at 9:00 am.Interment will be private. Please theon‐line guestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com. Charbonnet LabatGlapion Directors, (504) 581-4411.

MilanJr.,Warren James'Jay'

McNair Jr., James

Lewis, TommieLee

Lieux, Mary Alice

Phillips,Gwendolyn Brumfield

James, Lorraine G.

See more DEATHS page

OUR VIEWS

Keep up thepush to investigate Smitty’s disaster

It’sbeen almost six monthssince an explosion at Smitty’sSupply Inc., near Roseland,sent ash andchemicals spewing into the air,forcing the evacuation of about 800 nearbyresidents. At the time, we called for athorough investigationinto the causes of the Aug. 22 explosion at thelubricants plant and for any whocontributedtothe tragedy to be held to account. In its industrialcorridor along theMississippi River,Louisiana hosts hundredsofcompanies that make and export chemicals essentialto our nation’smanufacturing base. And inthe bargain forthe economicactivitytheybring, residents have aright to expect thatwhen accidents happen, as they invariably will, state andfederal officialswillact swiftlyto determinewhathappened and take preventive steps tomake sure it doesn’thappen again.

With the Smitty’sexplosion, thankfully no one was killed orseriously injured.But amongthe hundreds of residents evacuated fromtheir homes,someface extensivedamagetotheir property as amassive fireburnedfor days, leavingthe area covered in oily soot

At the time, we applauded Gov.Jeff Landry and Tangipahoa Parish officials, who were quick to contain the environmental impacts andto test air and watertomake sure theywere safe for residents

Last month, we began to learn more about the investigation into Smitty’s.Officials with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency confirmed it had opened acriminal probe into the company last year that includedawarrant forasearchofthe complex in mid-November. While the agencywould not saywhether the criminal investigation is stillongoing, itdid order Smitty’stocorrect several violationsinthe way it handles and stores hazardouswaste that resulted from an inspection more thanamonth before thesearch warrant

The list of violations is alarming.Inspectors visited areas of the complex that were not damaged by fire between Oct.7and 9. Theynoted areas of the floor covered with leaks, containers of hazardous materials that were poorly labeled andinone corner of the grease plant, aspigot stuffed with arag leaking an unknown liquid onto the floor

The EPAgave Smitty’s60daystocorrect these problems, and the owners of thecompany saytheyare cooperating with theEPA investigation.

Meanwhile, the LouisianaDepartmentof Environmental Quality and theEPA have sued Smitty’s, saying it repeatedly failedtofollow pollution-control lawsand maintain plansfor spill prevention. It’sencouraging to see such arobust response to this tragedy,even as stateand federal officialsmovetoweaken environmentalenforcement and cut agency staff. One would hope what happenedatSmitty’s would be awake-up call. Regulations are only wordsonpaper if there’snoone theretoenforce them

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE AREOUR

GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence

TheAdvocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address andphone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.

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OPINION

Moreno needstobreak from failed politicians

New OrleansMayor Helena Moreno initially brought hope to our area. Then Isaw the headlines that Vice President Kamala Harris was here to swear her in to takeoffice. On thesurface, Harris is abig popular Democrat to most New Orleanians. Is that good or bad? Let’sexamine. Harris was only here for her book tourand for afew bucks. Fair enough, right?

Ibelieve most would agree anyone but LaToyaCantrell would be better for New Orleans. Gone are corruption (vacations), lack of professionalism and extremely poor finances and huge deficits, we hope. So, how does theperception improve with Harris starting things off?

Kamala was here on her 107-day book tour, blaming everyone else for her lack of political and governmental success, wasting $2 billion on her campaign and leaving her campaign $20 million in debt, teaming up with President Joe Biden to create the worst inflation in years, thebiggest deficit in years, as border czar

thebroken border and much more. Sarcastically,please let her mentor Moreno. What we need is for Mayor Moreno to be independent, not listen to partyfailures like Harris; do New Orleanian things —not thingsfor Hispanic, Black, Asian or any particular ethnic group; never uselabels; create opportunity for all —the haves and have nots, the homeless and the wealthy,the business and cultural communities. The simplest way tosucceed is honor her campaign: Get city services on track first —streets, sewerage and water board, police, lights, judiciary,garbage —and all the rest will happen with little effort. She shouldn’tlet the Cantrell nightmaresidetrack her,and please don’tlet the failures of Harris take herdown afairytale path of lies and morethat never work. Good luck. Godspeed to NewOrleans.

CRAIGSHARBONNO Metairie

Presidency provides crucible forour country

Almosteveryone Iknow is tired of President Donald Trump’slies, bullying, and most of all, his seemingly getting away with everything. This will not stop until thereckoning comes for him, as it surely will.

Until that happy day,maybe we should look for virtue within the lies. After all, the lies have revealed somehard truths about our country, truths that would have remain obscured otherwise.

First,asurprisingly large number of people actively hate theAmerica mostofuswere taught to love. They don’twant to expend effort or tax dollars to expand opportunity by making America fairer,smarter healthier and more humane. They don’tcare about history and would rather have fascism than ademocracy committed to those ideals.

Second, asmall group of people with lots of money are willing to sacrifice everything else about America to keep taxes low and regulations nonexistent so they can keep even moremoney

Third, thecourts will not save us if Congress remains supine. Fourth, Congress willremain supine as long as Republicans fear their primary voters’ attachment to the“Liar in Chief” more than they love our country Fifth, Democrats have dithered so long their brand is tarnished, perhaps fatally.Ataminimum,they need new leadership that listens better and agrees to contestevery election everywherewithlocal candidates. Despite all this,NoKings Days, thewidespread and growing resistance to ICE’sGestapo tactics and theway people in every red corner of this country instantly offer to help when Itake my wife’swheelchair out of our Jeep, provethat a majority of us actually do want a decent and caring America. Perhaps we need to persuade more people not to fear equality,sothat the reckoning will be moreofa party than a war

LEN NICHOLS NewOrleans

Will Sutton’sJan. 14 column manifests his color bias. It is Black 24/7/365. Not to disparage Sutton, but he cunningly implies that since NewOrleans is majority Black, the city should, ipso facto, always have aBlack mayor.And if the mayor is not Black, he or she should nevertheless act Black and favor the Black majority Be careful of what you are advocating, Mr.Sutton.

Using your logic, since Louisiana and manyother states are majority White, we shouldn’thave Black elected officials, And since the United States is majority White, there should be no Black House or Senate members. His bias borders on racism as we are supposed to judge on character and competence, not color.Remember? It’s not supposed to be about race anymore. Delaware elected aBlack senator Lisa Rochester,while the state is 62% White. Maryland elected aBlack senator,Angela Alsobrooks, while being 50% White. NewJersey elected Sen. Cory Booker,while the state is 59% White. And South Carolina elected Sen. Tim Scott, with the state being 69% White. In addition, Sutton’sbias fails to include certain shades of the subject. Many of the people he mentions in his column appear to have somemultiracial ancestry,including Troy Carter,Royce Duplessis, Oliver Thomas, etc. Add to the list Dutch Morial, Marc Morial, JP Morrell, Sidney Barthelemy, Ray Nagin and others. In fact, the picture included with his column suggests that Sutton may be multiracial as well. He may not be able to second-line very well, but he sure can paint it black!

RONBETTENCOURTT Mandeville

President Donald Trumpseems to be very skilled at exposing our weaknesses while diminishing our strengths as a nation.

STEVE SCHMIDT NewOrleans

Taxthe Virginia dog(walker)

At first it seemed like something from the satirical website Babylon Bee. The new governor of Virginia, the “moderate” Democrat Abigail Spanberger,has proposedatax hike on services such as dog walking and grooming.

Additional proposed tax hikes include levies on guns andammunition, storage facilities, dry cleaning, home repairs, food delivery services, package deliveries and anew personal property tax on electric leaf blowers (but notgas-powered blowers?) andelectric landscaping equipment.

achievementmight be emulated, at least in part,byhis successor,but Democrats are not used to cutting taxes and many enjoy following the latest kookytrend. What they are used to is raising taxes and increasing spending, which nearly always resultsinoutcomes that are counter-productive.

Cal Thomas

There is no economic reason forraising taxes in Virginia. When his single term expired last month,Republican Gov.Glenn Youngkin left behind numerous successes,includinga large budget surplus of $572 million, above the projectedforecast. That made four consecutiveyears of surpluses, resulting in $10billionin surplus revenue. Youngkin achieved this by cutting taxes and creating an economic environment attractive to new business while incentivizingtaxpayers He also started amini revolution when he exposedsome of thethings being taught about gender and boysin girls’ bathrooms in Loudoun County public schools.

One would think such arecord of

As if those proposed new taxes aren’tenough, Spanbergerwants to raise thetop marginal tax rate. SomeDemocrats are proposing arate of 10 %onincomeover $1 million. Oneproposal would push the top rate to 13.8 percent. If enacted, that would put Virginia ahead of California andgivethe Commonwealth the dubious distinction of having thehighest state taxrate in the nation. That cold wave Virginians are feeling is notonly caused by thewintry weather.It’sthe breezecreated by people leaving high-tax states like New York andNew Jersey for no-tax states like Florida, Texas andagrowing number of others.

Spanberger sold herself to voters as a“moderate.” The media never challenged heronthat label. Quick,can youdefinethe word moderate? What does that mean when it comes to policies? Do moderates favor lower taxes? Are they opposed to men in women’s sports? What about open borders? Being on the wrongside of these issues

contributed to Democrats’ defeat in last year’selection, although recent special elections won by Democrats seem tohave been moreabout disliking President Trumpthan opposition to his policies, mostofwhich appear to be working.

Here’sthe dictionary.com definition of moderate: “kept or keeping within reasonable or proper limits; not extreme, excessive, or intense.” Given what Spanberger and some members of her majority Democrat legislature are proposing in new taxes, that definition does not fit their political and economic profile.

It’shard to believe that amajority of Virginians would embrace aset of policies that are directly opposite the successful ones of Glenn Youngkin, but given theweak candidacy of his lieutenant governor,Winsome Sears, and amedia that engaged in acover-up of Spanberger’strue beliefs —combined with President Trump’sunpopularity —itwasn’tdifficult to predict the outcome.

If these tax increases are passed, look for some Virginians and businesses that prospered during theYoungkin administration to join the exodus that is now occurring from other states to moreeconomically warmer climes, and they’re taking their dogs with them.

Email Cal Thomas at tcaeditorstribpub.com.

Immigrationbacklashshowing Trumpthe limits of theatrics

Even President Donald Trumpseems less than thrilled with thetenureof GregoryBovino,the Border Patrol commanderwho oversaw thecatastrophicMinneapolis operation that resulted in the deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti.

“Bovino is very good,” Trumptold Fox News, “but he’sapretty out-there kind of aguy.And in some cases, that’s good. Maybe it wasn’t good here.”

State Sen. Joe Bouie, state Rep. Jason Hughes and state Rep. Matt Willard have been in the Louisiana Legislature forthe last several years. Individually,these Democrats have fought the good fight when Democrat John Bel Edwards was governor and during morechallenging times since Republican Jeff Landry has been governor with supermajorities in the state House and the state Senate.

Bouie’sbeen apowerful voice foreducation, fighting forthe return of New Orleans schools from state control to local control. He successfully fought forpermanent funding forthe Gentilly Development District, and he fought to protect residents in the Lower 9th Ward and St. Bernard Parish as port projects have been proposed.

ega McArdle M n

The president has learned —oratleast neatly illustrated —a vital lesson that eludes many Americans: Personnel is policy Bovino, alongtime law enforcement official with apenchant for theatrics, answers to aboss who shares that weakness: Kristi L. Noem, the secretary of homeland security,whose self-dramatizing gestures frequently backfire. This appeals to our reality-star-in-chief for obvious reasons, but at least Trump has some political cunningand akeen sense of what audiences like. Noem, by contrast, believed she could somehow appeal to the American public byreminiscing about shooting her own dog. Instead, it may well haveknockedher offTrump’svice president shortlist.

Putting theater kids in charge of a sensitive law enforcement operation was amistake. That error was compoundedbywho was sent to carry out their orders. As Peter Moskos, aformer police officer and criminologyprofessor at John Jay College, has pointed out, urban cops have more trainingand experience with urban policing than Border Patrol —including dealing with rowdy protesters.

Contrast that with Randy Clarke, who runs the WashingtonMetropolitan Area Transit Authority.WMATA has had problems for decades: underfunding, deferred maintenance, safety disasters, reduced hours andangry riders. Thepandemic tipped atroubled agency into full-blown crisis. In 2022, when Clarke took over,bus ridership was down by one-third from prepandemic levels, Metro ridership by almost two-thirds.

With all of Metro’sstructuralproblems and the work-from-home revolution, Iwondered if WMATAcould recover.Then Clarke made it work. Bus ridership now approximates its2019 average, and Metro ridership,having steadily improved every year,finished 2025 at two-thirds the old level. Backto-office mandates helped, butask any Washingtonian (includingme) and you’ll hear that they’re back on Metro because it suddenlygot good again.As snow and bitter cold shutthe city down

this week, WMATA was one of the few partsofthe government that seemed to function properly

Yetwhen the “Statecraft” podcast interviewed Clarke last year,nothing he saidsounded like rocket science. His superpowers are clear: sensible priorities and relentless execution. Clarke cracked down on fare evasion and prioritized safety and frequency, thethings riderscare about most. “The reality is, the basic stuff is themost important stuff, all the time,” he told host SantiRuiz.

That’ssimilar to what Iheard on my podcast acouple of weeks ago when I interviewed the legendary police commissioner William Bratton, who turned aroundNew York’ssky-high crimerate in the 1990s. His secret sauce? Believing police could meaningfully reduce crime, findingways for them to do it and surroundinghimself with innovativethinkerswho werecommitted to the mission. Putthat way, these leadership triumphs sound stupidly easy.But in government,they are unconscionably hard. American politics doesn’tselect for able administrators; it selects for charismatic people who look good on television while making grandiose promises of policy transformation. Even when their grand ideas are good, they tend to fall apart in theexecution. That failure happens at all levels. Political appointees arefrequently chosen for coalition management or media visibility —rather than the ability to get things done. The civil service, meanwhile, is simply not built

for excellence. Its hiring system is an archaic, byzantine messthat seems almost designed to filter out extraordinary candidates. The chief benefitsof working for thegovernment —great benefitsand job security—attract risk-averse rule followersmore than superstars and visionaries.

Even when superstars with athirst for public service manage to jump through therequired hoops, they find that once inside, they are encased in decades’ worthofprocedural sludge, designed on the assumption that bureaucrats are malevolent idiots who can’tbetrusted tochange aprinter cartridge without a60-page manual governing their every move. Asufficiently creative and motivated person can manage to clear away enough of thesludge to makethings happen, as Bratton and Clarke demonstrate. But of course, many creative and motivated people decide they have better thingstodowith their time than sludge clearance.

This problem is at theroot of many of our other political challenges. Americans just don’ttrust their government to workwell, and that distrust breeds all manner of dysfunctions. Unfortunately,our theories about how to fix this problem are often backward. We talk endlessly about what government should do but seldom about who should do it Yetthe who frequently matters more than all the rest.

MeganMcArdle is on X, @asymmetricinfo.

Hughes pushed for$500 million to help Lincoln Beach development, and he saw to it that a STEM Innovation Center got $5 million and that NewOrleans East Hospital got $4 million. Willard fought to end estimated water bills from the Sewerage &Water Board, pushed to get mandated insurance premium discounts forfortified roofsand got colleagues to agree to make thefortified roof grantprogram permanent Big accomplishmentsfrom those three. Now they’vemoved on Bouie is chancellor at Southern University NewOrleans. Hughesisrepresenting New OrleansCity Council District E. Willard is aCity Council at-large member There’snoU.S. presidential election, no Louisiana U.S. Senate race and no Louisiana gubernatorial election on the Feb. 7ballot. But someone will succeed Bouie, Hughes and Willard —and that will be determined by the few whovoted early,those whoreturn mailballots before 4:30 p.m.Friday and those whocast votes at the polls on Saturday No matter whowins once special election voting closes on Saturday,there will be three new people collectively representing Gentilly,the Lake neighborhoods, New Orleans East and St. Bernard Parish. In tworaces, the state Senate District 3and the State Representative District 100 races, if no one wins morethan 50% of the votes cast, there will be arunoff. In one, State Representative District 97, whichever of the twocandidates —EdMurray or Eugene Green III —gets the mostvotes wins. Four people wanttofollow Bouie: Attorney “Kenn” Barnes, builder Sidney J. Barthelemy II, former state Sen. Jon Johnson, each of New Orleans, and electrician and union leader Chad Lauga, of Meraux in St. Bernard Parish. Five people wanttofollow Hughes: AttorneyPatricia Boyd Robertson, DanaHenry,Aeisha Kelly,Kenya Rounds and Candice Taylor Someone from awell-known political family will winthe District 97 seat. Barthelemy, the son of the former mayor of the samename, has namerecognition going forhim,but Barnes, Johnson and Lauga are fighting forvotes to win Bouie’ssenate seat.

Registrar of Voters Lisa Manning Bridges told me on WBOK that early voting turnout forthe three elections wasamiserable 5% of about 81,800 eligible voters. More than 4,000 requested mailballots, but fewerthan 950 returned them.Alot morepeople have ashot at choosing the next leaders forState Senate District 3, State Representative District 97 and State Representative District 100.

The candidates’ question is, will you choose them?

My question is, if you’re registered to vote in one of those districts, did you vote or will you vote?

These three men madeadifference. Who’sup next is up to you.

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@theadvocate. com.

TO SEND

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Voting machines and

Will Sutton

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By EVAN VUCCI

President Donald Trumpspeaks during an event in the Oval Office last month in Washington, D.C.

with meteorologist DamonSingleton

waketotemperatures in the lowtomid-30s on the North Shore and upper 30s to low40s on the South Shore, with afternoon temperatures in the mid-60s

St.Cyr,Bobbie Cunningham'Ann'

Bobbie“Ann” Cunning‐ham St.Cyr,age 86, aresi‐dentofSlidell,Louisiana and apillaroffaith andthe heartbeat of hercommu‐nity, returned to thearms ofher Heavenly Father on Sunday, February 1, 2026, in Slidell, Louisiana. Ann’slife was amasterworkofde‐votion—ajourney defined bythe infinite love she pouredintoothers. Born on August21, 1939, in Shreve‐port, Louisiana, Annwas the cherisheddaughterof Marzelle andLionelleCun‐ningham.Her life’s great‐est adventurebegan in a highschool hallwaywhen she metBillSt. Cyrduring her freshman year.That teenagespark grew into a beautiful 68-year marriage, which beganon, August 17, 1957, at St.Catherine of Siena Catholic Church,four daysbeforeher 18thbirth‐day.Fromtheir earlydays atL.S.U.(andher firstthree children) to thewinters of Manhattan,Kansas(and two more children –mak‐ing it sevenlivingona graduatestudent’s stipend), andthe busy years in Rockaway,New Jersey(adding children six and seven),Ann andBill built afoundationoffaith and love that couldwith‐stand anystorm.In1969 theyreturnedtotheir roots insouth Louisiana, settling inSlidell to complete what would become afamilyof twelvechildren—devoted toher,totheir father,and toone another. Ann’slife was an embodiment of the Regina Matrum"(Queen ofMothers)spirit. This prestigious honor, awarded by theArchdio‐ceseofNew Orleans, rec‐ognizes womenwho exem‐plify thehighest ideals of Catholic motherhood and familylife. ForAnn, moth‐erhood wasnot just arole, but asacredcalling.She didn'tjustraise twelve children; shenurtured twelvesouls,welcoming eachnew life with alove thatonlya mother’s heart canhold. Herpassion for

children knew no bound‐aries,extending to grand‐childrenand greatgrand‐children. Andevery neigh‐borhood childfound asec‐ond mother in theembrace of“Miss Ann.”Whether in her 27-yearcareeratSt. MargaretMarySchool serving as alibrarian,sec‐retary, andteacher—or through hertirelesswork withCatholicCharities Fos‐ter Care (fostering babies) and theCrisisPregnancy Center(taking in unwed mothers), Annbelieved every child wasa master‐piece of God. Shewas never more alivethan whenholding ababy, see‐ing in theirfaces thevery reflection of Divine Love Ann andBill’smarriage servedasa beacon foroth‐ers throughMarriageEn‐counter,Retrouvaille, and marriage preparation classes, throughthese ministriestheir love for one anothertouched the lives of hundredsofcou‐ples. United with thevoice ofher Heavenly Father Ann wouldhaveone wish for thoseshe leaves be‐hind: “All Iask of youisfor‐evertoremembermeas lovingyou.” Sheissurvived byher husband,Bill; her twelvechildren: Bill St.Cyr III (Maryellen),GregSt.Cyr (Mary Kaye), Peggy Slone (Brian),StacieWoolridge (Dale), StephenSt.Cyr (Donna), MichaelScott St Cyr (Jennifer),RobertSt. Cyr (Kristen), MariaTaylor (James),Mario St.Cyr Joshua (St.CyrMelanie), Shellie Watkins, andKellie Brisini (Travis);28grand‐childrenand 35 greatgrandchildren.\AFuneral Masscelebrating Ann’sex‐traordinary life will be held atSt. Margaret Mary Catholic Church (1050 RobertBlvd, Slidell, LA)on Saturday, February 7, 2026

Visitationwillbegin at 10:00am, followed at 11:15am by Tributes to Ann. TheFuneralMasswill begin at 12:00 noon.Ann willbelaidtorestatthe St JosephAbbey Cemetery in St. Benedict,Louisiana.In LieuofFlowers:Tohonor Ann’slifelong"passionfor God’s children," thefamily requestsdonations be madetothe EarlyChild‐hood Learning andCare ProgramsatSt. Margaret MarySchool.Contributions can be made online at https://smmschool.short gy/Ann Arrangements en‐trusted to HonakerFuneral Home, Slidell, LA.Please shareyourmemoriesin

theguestbook at www.hon akerforestlawn.com.

ShirleyMae Cole Scott passedonTuesday,Janu‐ary27, 2026 at Chateaude NotreDame. Shewas 92. A NewOrleans native Shirleywas agraduateof Booker T. Washington Se‐nior High School andat‐tended Dillard University Retiredfromsales,Shirley worked at Godchaux’s, Kreeger’s at Uptown Square,Jindo Furs in Canal Placeand Victoria’s Shoe Storeinthe French Quar‐ter. Shewas amemberof OurLadyofGuadalupe Church.Lefttocherish her memory aredaughter, LindaMadlenScott; grand‐daughter,AntheaNicole Frank(Wade); great-grand‐daughter,Amari Ty’ese Beverly; anda host of ex‐tended family andfriends Shewas preceded in death by herlovingcompanion Curtis Austin;father, Clif‐ford Joseph Cole;and mother,MildredHerbert Cole.A Mass of Christian Burial honoringthe life of ShirleyScott will be at Our Lady of GuadalupeChurch 411 N. RampartStreet,New Orleans, LA 70115 on Fri‐day, February 6, 2026 at 10:00 am.Visitationat9:00 am.FatherTonyOfficiat‐ing. Interment: St.Louis No.3 Cemetery,3421 Es‐planadeAve., NewOrleans, LA 70119. Please sign the online guestbook at www charbonnetfuneralhome. com. Charbonnet Labat GlapionDirectors, (504) 581-4411. Repast will be at thechurch hall

B'ritain EliSmith was bornonWednesday,De‐cember3,2025, andpassed awayonSunday, January 11, 2026. Although histime onearth wasbrief,hewas deeply lovedand brought light to allwho knew him. B'ritianwillforever be cherished by hisparents Branyel Smithand Blade Lott. He will be lovingly re‐memberedbyhis grand‐parents,great grandpar‐ents, aunts, uncles, cousins andextendedfam‐ily.His memory will live on through theloved that sur‐rounded himand thelives hetouched.Familyand friends areinvited to at‐tendthe memorial service onSaturday, February 7, 2026 at Robinson Family FuneralHome, 9611 LA-23, Belle Chasse LA 70037 at 3 p.m.For online condo‐lences, please visitwww robinsonfamilyfuneralho me.com

TorreganoSr.,Errol ErrolTorregano Sr passedawaypeacefullyat his home in Slidell, LA,on Sunday, January25, 2026 Funeralserviceswillbe heldonSaturday, February 7,2026 at St.Genevieve Catholic Church on Hwy. 433. Theviewing will begin at9:00a.m., followed by the funeralMassat11:00 a.m.Errol is survived by his daughter, Dana Lee, and his son, ErrolTorregano Jr Hewas preceded in death byhis son, Robby. He also leavesbehindthree grand‐children, BrandonLee, Avery,and ErrolIII, as well ashis brother, Barry,and foursisters,IrisSmoot Sheila,Rhonda, andSonya

Rev. LarryDarrnel White passedawayonWednes‐day,January 14, 2026, at 1:55p.m.God dispatched one of hisangelstobring Rev.Larry DarrnelWhite hometohis eternalresting place.Hetransitioned peacefully at hisresidence inWarrenton,Virginiasur‐rounded by hiswifeand children. He was70years ofage.Rev.Larry White was born on November 24, 1955, in Snow Hill,Alabama toJohnT.White andMarie Bruner. He waslovingly raisedinNew Orleans, Louisiana by hispaternal grandmother,Gussie Brown White. Growingup inthe Whitefamilyhome, Larry wasnurturedinthe faith andacceptedChrist ashis personal Savior at anearly age. He wasbap‐tized at thefamilychurch, First Free MissionBaptist Church.His grandmother madesurethathewas veryactiveinyouth activi‐tiesincluding theyoung people'schoir.Rev.Larry was educated in theOr‐leans Parish Public School Systemand graduated fromAlcee FortierHIgh School-Class of 1975. He earnedhis undergraduate degreefromLoyolaUniver‐sityand Doctor of Ministry degreefromAndersonville Theological Seminary Camilla,Georgia.Rev Whitetaughtatthe Union Baptist TheologicalSemi‐naryinNew Orleans. He alsoservedaspastorin several church communi‐tiesinWarrenton,VA, Rockville, MD,and NewOr‐leans,LA. Thememoriesof Rev.Larry DarrnelWhite willliveforever in the heartsofhis wife,Dedria Bournes White, hischil‐dren: JohntaD.White (Najel)-Manassas, VA; JavierL.White,Warrenton VA; Jovante' B. White, Washington, DC;Jalen S. White, WarrentonVA; bonus children:Stanley R. Conley, Jr.(Vincentoria), New Orleans, LA,Shannon R.Conley, Lewisville,TX, his mother,AnnieMarie BrunerKyles andhis fa‐ther,Rev.JohnT.White

(Emily-bonus mother). Also cherishinghis memories are hissisters,LaDeidre WhiteFant, Hightstown, NJ, Donna WhiteStigerand Yolanda Thibodeaux (Rev Kenneth), NewOrleans,LA; Debra Williams (Robert) Prichard, AL;NanCee Henry (BishopObadiah), DeLand, FL,GloriaKyles, BonitaThomasand Cas‐sandraCurry (Anthony), all ofPrichard, AL;bonus sis‐ter andcousinMarcella Perry (Rev.Dr. Paul), Del Valle,TX; brothers,Leroy Bruner(Sophia), Prichard AL; DemetriusWhite,Dal‐las,TX, Jonathan White (Dawn),New Orleans, LA; Rev.Dr. Chad White, Sr.(El‐leanora), Louisville,Ken‐tucky,and bonus brother and cousin LTC(Retired) DariusWhite (Dr. Late‐chia),Huntsville, AL,also aunts, uncles,nephews, great-nieces, greatnephews,cousins and friends.A servicecelebrat‐ing thelifeofRev.Larry D. WhitewillbeheldonSat‐urday,February7,2026 at 11:00 a.m. at GreaterKing Solomon Missionary Bap‐tistChurch,3305 Audubon Street,New Orleans, La 70125. Visitation from 10:00 a.m.until 11:00 a.m. service time. Rev. Chad A. White, Sr. officiating. Interment: Private.Arrangementsen‐trusted to Estelle J. Wilson FuneralHome, Inc.,2715 Danneel St., NOLA 70113 Information: (504) 8954903. To sign online guest book please visitwww.est ellejwilsonfh.com

Wright,Malcolm Claude With sadnessweshare the passingofMalcolm ClaudeWrightonJanuary 27, 2026. Please visitwww rhodesfuneral.comtoview service information, sign onlineguestbook,send flowersand sharecondo‐lences.

Smith, B'ritain Eli

White, Rev. Larry Darrnel

Scott, ShirleyMae Cole

DEATHS continued from

‘He’s

the G.O.A.T’

Saints rookie quarterback Shough still in awe of Brees

BY JEFF DUNCAN Staff writer

SAN FRANCISCO No one is more ex-

cited to see Drew Brees go into the Pro Football Hall of Fame than Tyler Shough.

As one of five finalists for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award, the New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback will be in the audience at the Palace of Fine Arts for the NFL Honors show Thursday night, where Brees is expected to be introduced as one of the members of the Class of 2026.

“It’s going to be special just to be in the building,” Shough said during an interview Wednesday, shortly after arriving here for Super Bowl LX festivities. “I grew up idolizing his play, so I’m excited about seeing him get the highest honor in the sport.”

ASSOCIATED

Saints quarterback Tyler Shough drops back to pass against the Atlanta

Jan. 4 in Atlanta. ä See SAINTS, page 5C

Davis leaves his Saints’ future open-ended

BY JEFF DUNCAN Staff writer

SAN FRANCISCO With free agency approaching, Demario Davis was noncommittal about his future with the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday During interviews at the media center for Super Bowl LX, the star linebacker expressed his love for the city of New Orleans but reiterated that he is keeping his options open after eight years with the Saints.

“New Orleans is home for me,” Davis said. “… But the business has to play how the business plays out.” Davis, 37, completed the final year of a two-year $17.25 million contract this past season. He will be a free agent if he and the Saints don’t work out a new deal before March. If a new deal isn’t reached, his contract will void, leaving nearly $14.3 million in dead money on the Saints’ 2026 salary cap.

“The front office in New Orleans has always been amazing,” Davis said “I’ve never felt the need to try to negotiate publicly They’ve been a hundred percent professional, and I respect that. They talked about that they want me back and that means a lot to me. What happens on the field and the business of the game will never impact who I am and how I show up.”

Davis has said repeatedly that he wants to finish his career with the Saints, who signed him as a free agent in 2018. He was less committal during an interview with Kay Adams on FanDuel TV last week, saying he was “coming back to the NFL” in 2026.

“How that plays out, we shall see,” Davis said. “I’m just trying to ride it out. I’m good with whatever happens.” Davis is coming off one of the best seasons of his 14-year career He recorded a career-high and team-leading 143 tackles, which tied for 10th in the NFL. He tied for the team lead with two forced fumbles and added six tackles for loss.

“Last season was incredible, man,” Davis said. “I got a chance to do all the things that I care about, be an elite linebacker, helped elevate the defense, serve the community and help elevate the game forward and move the game forward. We get a chance to play in Paris (in 2026), (and I) got a chance to be on that initial delegation, so moving our game forward. All those things mean the world to me, and those things won’t

The official announcement of the class will be made during NFL Honors, but Brees is considered a shoo-in as the league’s second-leading all-time passer If he earns induction, as expected, he’ll ä See DAVIS, page 5C

Knox provides LSU women extra bounce

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

ä LSU at Texas,

BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

The last time Lane Kiffin made a public appearance, he predicted LSU would sign the best transfer portal class in college football history There was still work to do at the time, but in the days that followed, he and his staff finalized a top-ranked class by signing two more of the most highly coveted players on the market.

Kiffin stood by his claim Wednesday afternoon in his first news conference since he was introduced as the LSU head coach in early December, saying the class could be the “best ever on paper” because of the talent and size. LSU added 43 transfers, and quarterback Sam Leavitt, edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen and offensive tackle Jordan Seaton were all ranked within the top five overall.

“We have a really talented roster,” Kiffin said. “Does that mean we’re gonna win games? Not necessarily Does that mean they’re gonna be a great team? No. We have a lot of work to do now.”

Kiffin sounded ready to look forward toward the rest of the offseason now that LSU has put together the roster for his first season. He said multiple times that the coaches and the players have to produce, a theme of his staff meeting Tuesday night and

a team meeting Wednesday morning. Hours later, a basketball hoop that Kiffin had placed in the team room was still there as he spoke.

“Don’t sit around and think you have this salary for this coming year because of what you did before,” Kiffin said. “This salary is for the work you’re supposed to do.” But, as Kiffin said, the coaches needed to start by adding players, and over the past two months, they reconfigured the roster com-

ing out of the Brian Kelly era. LSU had 34 players enter the transfer portal. Kiffin said some decided to leave because of their attachment to the previous staff, and others were encouraged to find a new team. “In those evaluations, you usually come in and make a lot of changes,” Kiffin said. “And especially if the program made a change and fired a staff because

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Kentucky forward Teonni Key, right, tips the pass away from LSU forward Grace Knox on Jan. 1 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Retired Saints quarterback Drew Brees acknowledges the crowd as he was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame during a halftime ceremony at the Caesars Superdome on Sept. 17, 2024.

PRESS PHOTO By BRyNN ANDERSON

Falcons on

BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS

2

Perfect fit for Seahawks

Coach Macdonald’s focus on defense key to Seattle’s record-setting season

BY ANDREW DESTIN AP sportswriter

SEATTLE Long before the Seattle Seahawks reached their fourth Super Bowl in franchise history, coach Mike Macdonald donned a blue, gas station attendant-style shirt with a team logo on the chest. He made the fashion statement after the Seahawks put the finishing touches on their 2025 draft, just as he and president of football operations John Schneider did the year before.

Considering the way Macdonald has coached, and his team has played in a record-setting season, though, there is nothing phony about this workmanlike attire.

Macdonald’s shirt is representative of the kind of football team he envisioned building when he was hired by the Seahawks two years ago: a gritty, hard-nosed bunch with a focus on defense.

“It’s a testament to Mike for setting the culture,” said wide receiver Jake Bobo after Seattle’s 31-27 win against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC championship game.

“It’s a fun group, and it’s really fun to do this with this group.”

TheSeahawkshadoneofthebest defensesintheNFLinthe2025season, one in which they set the franchise record for regular-season wins (14). No team allowed fewer points per game (17.2) and Seattle finished in the top seven in the league in sacks and interceptions.

And now Macdonald is just one win away from becoming the first head coach to win a Super Bowl as the primary defensive playcaller for his team. Plenty of head coaches, such as the Kansas City Chiefs’ Andy Reid, Los Angeles Rams’ Sean McVay and others, have done so while calling plays on offense.

In many ways, Macdonald has

cated San Francisco’s offense and held off the Los Angeles Rams on their way to the Super Bowl.

Macdonald has gotten a talented roster to buy into his vision.

FROM

Lolich, World Series hero of ’68 Tigers, dies at 85

DETROIT Mickey Lolich, who had three complete-game victories for the Detroit Tigers in the 1968 World Series, the last Major League Baseball pitcher to post the feat, died Wednesday at 85. The Tigers said Lolich’s wife told them that he died after a short stay in hospice care. An exact cause of death was not provided.

Denny McLain was the star of Detroit’s pitching staff in 1968, winning 31 regular-season games. But Lolich was the MVP of the Series, with an ERA of 1.67 and a Game 7 road victory over Bob Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinals. Bill Freehan threw off his catcher’s mask and caught a foul pop-up by Tim McCarver for the final out. Lolich jumped into Freehan’s arms — an iconic image of Detroit’s championship season.

Cardinals hiring Hackett as offensive coordinator

TEMPE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals are hiring veteran coach Nathaniel Hackett as the team’s offensive coordinator, according to a person familiar with the decision.

It’s the first major hire for new Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur, who was introduced on Tuesday at the team’s facility LaFleur — who came to the Cardinals after three seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams said that he plans on being the team’s primary play-caller Hackett was recently hired as the Miami Dolphins’ quarterbacks coach, but now makes the move to the desert for the bigger role.

The 46-year-old Hackett was the offensive coordinator under LaFleur’s brother Matt with the Green Bay Packers from 2019 to 2021.

been a perfect match for Schneider two years after the former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator was hired to replace Pete Carroll.

“With Mike, it’s this really clear, thoughtful, intense, intelligent messaging,” Schneider said. Macdonald and Schneider have workedtogethertodevelopagroup that emerged from the toughest division in the league by getting contributions throughout the roster

Yet while the breakout season of quarterback Sam Darnold and the record-setting season of wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has helped, the Seahawks have reached the championship game thanks in large part to a defense ledbykeyplayerssuchasLeonard Williams, Ernest Jones and Devon

Though the secondary has dealt with injuries at times, they suffo-

“To be able to go against that defense every single day,” Darnold said, “that got us better as an offense.”

Seattle finished third in the league in scoring, and when Darnold cooled off a bit down the stretch, running back Kenneth Walker helped pick up the slack in the late stages of the season.

Still, the one constant over the past five months has been a defense that has thrived under Macdonald.

The Seahawks have limited big plays thanks in part to nickel packages that frequently feature rookie safety Nick Emmanwori, who had three passes defensed in the NFC championship game.

The defensive line is also one of the most rugged in the league with Williams, Byron Murphy and DeMarcus Lawrence making life difficult for opposing offenses

“We only have one goal in mind, and obviously the job’s not done yet,” safety Coby Bryant said. “We still have more work to put in. (Macdonald) set the tone from Day 1, and we’re behind him.”

The city of Seattle is also hoping Macdonald can propel the franchise to its second Super Bowl victory Macdonald and Schneider already shared a meaningful moment together on the turf at Lumen Field after toppling the Rams two weeks ago.

They’re both hoping to repeat it Sunday night at Levi’s Stadium against the Patriots.

“The vision of wanting to get back here, produce a consistent championship-caliber football team for amazing fans, the 12s, and how loud it was,” Schneider said, “I had told him, ‘Dude, when we get this (place) rocking, you’re going to be shook.’ And I think he was.”

Diggs’ leadership, maturity help fuel Patriots

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Left back pylon. One knee. Head bowed. Eyes closed. That is how Stefon Diggs will spend some of his final moments prior to kickoff of the first Super Bowl of his career It’s been a staple of the wide receiver’s routine before each game he’s played this season for the New England Patriots. After pregame warmups, he also calls his teammates to huddle around him as he leads one of a series of impassioned, fiery and often viral speeches.

“I just say what I feel like I’m supposed to do and just go,” Diggs said. “It’s not so much the words, it’s more so the tenacity.” Then, he turns the volume down for his prayer in the corner of the end zone.

“Taking a second to kind of appreciate where I am and give my thanks to God and kind of have my little moment with him. Thanking him for the trials and tribulations,” Diggs said. “Building my character up a little bit as a person and making these shoulders weight-bearing, I guess.”

Both are necessary for the player whom teammates call the emotional centerpiece of their Super Bowl run. And for Diggs, it’s been fuel during a comeback season that didn’t seem likely after his

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHARLIE RIEDEL

New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs speaks during a news conference ahead of Super Bowl LX on Wednesday in Santa Clara, Calif.

tenure in Houston last season was cut short by a knee injury

But, after posting his seventh 1,000-yard receiving season in his 11th year in the league, he may also be the not-so-secret weapon for an offense that will need to be at its best against a Seattle defense that allowed an NFL-low 17.2 points per game during the regular season. When Diggs signed with Houston in 2024, he acknowledged it was in an effort to chase a cham-

pionship. But Diggs purposely didn’t have many expectations after signing in free agency with New England. What drew him initially to the Patriots was a sense of trust he felt after finding an almost instant connection with wide receivers coach Todd Downing, who was the tight ends coach in Minnesota in 2018 when Diggs was there. He got the same thing from the “straight shooter” he met in coach Mike Vrabel, as well as offensive

coordinator Josh McDaniels. It was McDaniels whom Diggs credits with unlocking a work ethic he hadn’t had during his pro career McDaniels said the veteran receiver has been the perfect match for second-year quarterback Drake Maye.

“I think it’s great for Drake to be around a player as accomplished at Stef,” McDaniels said. “Drake has learned how to assimilate with him, (to) work together with a player that has been around a long time and been around a lot of good quarterbacks. I think it’s been great for Drake’s growth and development.”

After Diggs eclipsed 1,000 yards during New England’s regularseason finale, a win over Miami, Maye’s mind went back to the preseason when he invited all the receivers to his home state of North Carolina for some throwing sessions.

He didn’t think someone as “big time” as Diggs would have time to participate. But he did.

“Kind of from that point on, I felt like, man, looking forward to getting with him on the field and seeing him do his thing, and he’s done his thing time and time again,” Maye said. “Some games he’s not getting the ball as much as any receiver would want to, and he’s still trying to block hard and keeps the energy up and breaking the team down and motivating me.”

Lakers’ Hayes suspended for pushing Wizards mascot Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes received a one-game suspension on Wednesday for pushing the Washington Wizards’ mascot before a game last week. Hayes pushed the mascot “GWiz” during pre-game introductions ahead of the Lakers’ 142-111 win on Friday Hayes had 10 points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal off the bench. He will serve the suspension on Thursday when the Lakers host the Philadelphia 76ers, according to a statement from the NBA. Hayes was drafted by Atlanta in the first round of the 2019 draft, but his rights were immediately traded over to New Orleans. He spent his first four seasons with the Pelicans before joining the Lakers in 2023.

Former D-backs star Peralta retires after 11-year career

David Peralta, who hit .278 in an 11-year big league career that included nine seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, announced his retirement on Wednesday Peralta, 38, did not play in 2025 and posted his decision to retire on social media.

Peralta won a Silver Slugger in 2018, when he hit .293 with 30 homers and 87 RBIs for the Diamondbacks. The outfielder won a Gold Glove the following season.

Peralta, a native of Venezuela, made his major league debut with Arizona in 2014 and hit .312 while leading the majors with 10 triples in 2015.

Peralta hit .267 in 91 games with San Diego in 2024 after hitting .259 for the Dodgers in 2023.

Bobby Knight’s son resigns as coach at NAIA Marian INDIANAPOLIS Pat Knight, the son of the late Bob Knight, has resigned as coach of the Marian Knights men’s basketball team after refusing to comply with an administrator’s demand he fire someone on his staff.

Knight did not name the staff member but told The Indianapolis Star he did not intend to fire the person, so he quit.

Knight was ejected in what turned out to be his final game with Marian — Saturday’s 75-74 loss to another NAIA school from Indiana. With the victory, Goshen snapped a 19-game losing streak to Marian and also ended a 54-game skid in conference play Marian athletic director Steve Downing hired Knight in 2024, and he went 16-34 at the school located in Indianapolis.

Macdonald

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By LINDSEy WASSON

Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori breaks up a pass intended for Los Angeles Rams

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

THREE AND OUT: SCOTT RABALAIS’ TOP TAKEAWAyS FROM LANE

’THE POWER OF THE PLACE’

1

Kiffin was asked about signing the top two players in Louisiana — defensive linemen Lamar Brown from University High and Richard Anderson from Edna Karr in December He characterized his own importance as less important than most might think.“People say Lane Kiffin signed the number one player in the country. LSU signed him.We didn’t even have a defensive line coach at the time.They still signed with LSU That’s the power of the place.

2

THE CHASE

Two of the most celebrated success stories from LSU’s No. 1-rated transfer portal class were landing former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt and ex-Colorado tackle Jordan Seaton. Kiffin hotly pursued both players after their visits to LSU — he followed Leavitt to Knoxville,Tennessee, and Seaton to Atlanta where Seaton met with Oregon coaches.“I don’t really do well with no,” Kiffin said.“It makes me more competitive when someone says no.”

3

NO NAMES, PLEASE

Kiffin was called a lot of names by Ole Miss fans — and administrators and players, I’m sure — after he left Oxford for LSU Judging by Wednesday’s comments, it doesn’t sound like we’re going to hear him use the name “Ole Miss” much.There were, instead, lots of references to the “last place” he coached, which I’m sure will not go over well there. Once again, it’s hard to quantify the anticipation for LSU’s Sept. 19 game at “that place” where Kiffin used to coach.

Tulane adds two to initial class of 16

BY GUERRY SMITH

Contributing writer

Tulane supplemented its December signing class of 16 high school players with two more on Wednesday as the late period opened, addressing its lone empty position while adding a linebacker to a position group with plenty of upperclassmen but little young depth Adel (Georgia) Cook County High punter Brooks Moore, rated No. 5 in the nation by Kohl’s Kicking, followed through on his January commitment. He had scholarship offers from North Carolina State and Louisville, among others.

“He has high-end potential,” new Tulane coach Will Hall said. “You see the leg and the overall demeanor I love his mom and dad. He played high school football at a great place where it matters to everybody in town, so the pressure won’t get to him. He can fall right in line. We’ve been great at punter here for so long. I think he can be the next one.”

Former Tulane punter Alec Clark, who nearly broke the school record for average this past year, transferred to Florida to be reunited with special teams coach Johnathan Galante and coach Jon Sumrall after one season with the Green Wave.

Hall said he still might use the transfer portal to bring in competition for Moore.

“We would like to have somebody,” he said. “The freshman is unbelievably talented, but we want to add somebody that’s kicked

KIFFIN

Continued from page 1C

they didn’t like the direction of the football program, which is what happened.

“I know at first there was a lot of skepticism about so many players going in the portal, but I just looked at it and was like, ‘OK, what’s my answer to you as the fans and the media, too, if we just kept the same players?’ We are good coaches, I think, but we also don’t have magic dust. We changed a lot because there needed to be changes.”

Tulane

n OL AJ Amos (6-5, 317), Germantown Tenn (Germantown HS)

n WR Keyshaun Coleman (6-4, 195), Madison, Miss. (Germantown HS)

n OL Deontavis Cooper (6-4, 300), Thomasville, Ga. (Thomas County Central HS)

n DL Jordyn Crites (6-7, 260), Friendswood, Texas (Friendswood HS)

n DL Caydee Dees (6-3, 250), Montgomery Ala. (Montgomery, Ala.)

n OL Tylan George (6-3, 310), West Monroe (West Monroe HS)

n WR Gary Hadley (6-2, 184), Pompano Beach, Fla. (Cardinal Gibbons HS) DB Myrone Jean (6-4, 170), Lake Wales, Fla (Lake Wales School)

n QB Trace Johnson (6-1, 191), Laguna Niguel, Calif. (Santa Margarita HS)

n LB Chan Lumpkin (6-4, 220), Reynolds, Ga. (Taylor County HS) n OL Aiden Martin (6-5, 295), Berryhill, Okla. (Berryhill HS)

n DB LJ Moton (6-4, 190), Kathleen, Ga. (Veterans HS)

n DB Orion Saunders (6-4, 180), Concord, Ma. (Middlesex School)

n TE Colby Simpson (6-6, 225), West Lake Village, Calif. (Oaks

n P Brooks Moore (6-1, 200), Adel, Ga. (Cook County HS)

n LB Dylan Brasher (6-2, 215), Dripping Springs, Texas (Dripping Springs HS) UL (includes transfers)

n OL David Baker (6-5, 350) New Orleans, (Warren Easton)

n S Rod Bingham (5-11, 175) Plaquemine (Plaquemine HS)

n TE Jerry Birdlow (6-4, 230) Slidell (Slidell HS)

n WR Kristion Brooks (6-3, 185) Zachary

in games before and see how it shakes out.”

The other signee is Dripping Springs (Texas) linebacker Dylan Brasher, whom Tulane flipped this week from Navy Brasher (6-foot2, 215 pounds) had offers from Oklahoma State, North Texas and Texas-San Antonio as well as Ivy League schools Columbia and Pennsylvania.

The Wave returns starting linebackers Dickson Agu and Chris Rodgers, key backup Makai Williams and Jean Claude Joseph, all of whom are redshirt juniors or seniors. It also picked up redshirt senior Dalton Hughes from South Alabama in the portal.

Early enrolling December signee Chan Lumpkin will be the only underclassmen at the position in spring practice.

“We felt like we needed to add a

Kiffin did not criticize Kelly, who went 34-14 in three-plus seasons at LSU. As the new head coach, Kiffin said he had to make “really hard decisions” with the roster and the coaching staff. LSU did not retain the entire offensive staff, and it made significant changes in the personnel department by bringing in general manager Billy Glasscock and several others. It remains unclear how much money they had for this team. When LSU was courting Kiffin, sources said the school was preparing to commit $25 million to $30 million annually for the roster through a combination of NIL and

young linebacker along with Chan to that room,” Hall said. “When the old guys leave, you’ve got to look several years down the road and sign high school guys and plan ahead.”

Tulane’s ratio of 18 high school newcomers to 21 portal additions fits Hall’s goals for long-term development. He wants to limit portal signees to 15-25 each year rather than loading up on 40 or more as some other schools have done.

The Wave could afford to take that approach because 48 players with eligibility left stayed —an extremely high number for any school with a coaching transition. Seven either ended the year as starters or, in Agu’s case, were starting when they suffered a season-ending injury Running back Jamauri McClure, offensive line-

revenue sharing. Kiffin declined to discuss specifics of the financial resources the team used to put together the roster, something he said set LSU apart when he left Ole Miss.

“I just felt that there was a really good plan here in place and an alignment from the top down about how the resources were here,” Kiffin said, “and then a plan of how that could be structured within those contracts in order to sign the players.”

As much as he expressed optimism about the potential of the team, Kiffin acknowledged “all of these evaluations are just on paper” when asked about the offen-

man Reese Baker wide receiver Anthony Brown-Stephens, Rodgers, Agu, safety Jack Tchienchou and cornerback E’Zaiah Shine were the others. Six more started at least one game: Williams, offensive linemen ElijahBakerandDarionReed,running back Maurice Turner, defensive tackle Derrick Shepard and defensive end Gerrod Henderson. That list does not include fourthleading tackler Kevin Adams and Joshua Moore, a pair of prominent backup safeties, or defensive end Jah’rie Garner, a promising St. Augustine High product who will be two years removed from an ACL injury

“Only signing 21 puts us probably in the top 10% of college football (for fewest portal additions),” Hall said. “We’re a place that believes we can bring in a kid for three-plus years and develop him and get him a Tulane degree. A lot of our kids chose to come back and get to that second, third or fourth year It gives us a leg up.”

The Wave’s final three portal pickups were wide receivers Bredell Richardson (Central Florida) and Gabe Daniels (Syracuse), and cornerback Justin Agu (Louisville), who is the older brother of Dickson Agu. Richardson who was limited to one punt return and zero receptions in two years with Central Florida, was rated a four-star prospect by Rivals.com in 2024.

Daniels had two catches in 2025 after arriving at Syracuse as a 3-star prospect with legitimate top-end speed. He qualified for the Georgia Class 5A state championships in the 100- and 200-meter dash as a sophomore.

Justin Agu started three games for UL in 2023 and made a careerhigh 36 tackles in 2024 before transferring to Louisville, where he was limited to 13 stops this past season.

sive line. Now in the midst of offseason training, LSU is expected to begin spring practice next month. That’s when he and the rest of the coaches will see what they really have.

“The final production is the winning on the field,” Kiffin said. “Well, we can’t win the game today But what you can win is the roster and the recruiting. This is what’s supposed to happen.

“If you go get a staff and pay them what you do, you expect a lot. It’s no different than these players that are sitting here. We go pay a player a lot, we have a lot of expectations for them. They need to produce.”

LSU QB Leavitt to be limited in spring

BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt will be limited in spring practice as he continues to recover from surgery on his foot, coach Lane Kiffin said in a news conference Wednesday Leavitt will throw and participate in 7-on-7 drills, but he “probably” won’t take part in full-team work, Kiffin said. Leavitt suffered a foot injury in September at Arizona State and ultimately underwent season-ending surgery He is LSU’s projected starting quarterback. With him limited in the spring, Southern Cal redshirt freshman transfer Husan Longstreet and Elon redshirt sophomore transfer Landen Clark are expected to split reps during the full-team drills. Kiffin did not specify when Leavitt will be fully cleared.

Entering Kiffin’s first season, LSU signed three transfer quarterbacks to refill a depleted position. The Tigers did not have a scholarship quarterback on the roster at one point last month after sophomore Michael Van Buren entered the transfer portal.

“I thought this was really critical what we did here at the quarterback position,” Kiffin said.

“Regardless, we would have done what we did. But it was also imperative to get quarterbacks because that’s going to be a lot of how your spring ball goes, which is your first time of your team feeling an offense. And our offense is very much pushed and driven by the quarterback because of the tempo piece of it.”

Leavitt was considered one of the highest-ranked players in the transfer portal regardless of position.

Over the past two seasons at Arizona State, Leavitt completed 61.3% of his passes for 4,513 yards with 34 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 749 yards and 10 scores.

LSU also added Longstreet, a former five-star recruit in the 2025 class. In limited action as a freshman, Longstreet completed 13 of 15 passes for 103 yards and one touchdown. He added 76 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

Clark was the first of the quarterbacks to sign with LSU after starting last season at Elon.

“I think that’s really the thing I’m most proud of — from our (general manager) to our personnel to our coaches department being able to do that at the quarterback position,” Kiffin said. “Three guys that I think are really talented, different styles of players and it says a lot about them to come to the same place when nowadays, a lot of guys don’t want to do that.”

(Zachary HS)

n DL Ty Dominique (6-3, 235) Slidell (St. Augustine)

n LB Devin Franklin (6-5, 210) Oak Grove (Oak Grove HS) # n OL Jai-Vale Fredericks (6-6, 315) Daphne, Ala. (Daphne HS) # n P Mason Golding (6-2, 190) Melbourne, Australia #

n OL Gunnar Goodwin (6-4, 295) Corinth, Miss. (Kossuth HS) n S Luke Green (6-1, 190) Lafayette (Lafayette Christian)

n CB Julius Harper (6-2, 180) Prentiss, Miss. (Jefferson Davis HS) n LB Harrison Kidder (6-1, 210) Baton Rouge (Catholic HS)

n OL Jayden Michael (6-5, 325) Lutcher

(Lutcher HS)

n DL Jordan Pinnock (6-4) 240, Baton Rouge (University Lab)

n S Jayden Reed (5-11, 180) Monroe (Neville HS) n RB Ke-Rynn Smith(5-9, 190) Metairie (Holy Cross)

n LS Jackson Villaume (5-10, 210) Baton Rouge (Parkview Baptist)

n CB Braylon Walker (5-10, 175) Lafayette

(Lafayette Christian)

n OL Trey Shaw (6-4 295) Hattiesburg, Miss.

(Oak Grove HS) #

n DL Xavier Waters (6-1, 320) Houston

(North Shore HS) #

n S Edrick Williams (6-0, 175) Daphne, Ala.

(Daphne HS) # n DE Tito Chikere (6-2, 250), Houston (East Texas A&M)

n LB Princeton Malbrue (6-1, 216), Carencro

(LSU)

n OT Jayce Mitchell (6-3, 275), Destrehan

(Tulane) n RB Anthony Reagan (5-9, 170), Woodbury

N.J. (Howard)

n DL Brodrick Stewart (6-2, 305), Arlington,

Texas (Tarleton State) # Mid-year enrollee Southeastern Louisiana

n OL Keidrick Bailey (6-2, 290), Zachary (Zachary HS)

n WR Jiwaun Brock (5-11, 165), Covington (Covington HS)

n DT Gage Brown(6-3, 265), Covington (St. Paul’s)

n OL Maddox Caldwell (6-3, 295) Fairhope, Ala. ( St. Michael)

n RB Cody Corales (6-0, 190) Mandeville (St. Paul’s HS)

n OL Zack Corrigan (6-5, 300) Chilliwack, B.C (St. Petersburg Catholic)

n CB Connor Crisp (5-11, 175), Castroville, Texas (Medina Valley HS)

n WR Lawson Dixon (5-10, 180), Central (Central HS)

n OL Frederic Downing (6-4, 300), Hahnville (Hahnville HS)

n TE Charlie Grewe (6-5, 200) South Bend, Ind. (St. Joseph HS)

n WR Desmen Jefferson (5-10, 175) Ferriday (Ferriday HS)

n LB Brandt Liuzza (6-2, 215), Amite (Oak Forest Academy)

n WR Bennett Naquin (6-2, 190), Luling (Hahnville HS)

n LB Dylan Post (6-1, 225), Covington (St. Paul’s)

n CB Cayden Randall (6-0, 190), Baton Rouge (Woodlawn HS)

n TE Hayden Ray (6-3, 260), Denham Springs (Denham Springs HS)

n OL Wesley Sandefur (6-3, 270), Fairhope, Ala. (Fairhope, Ala.)

n LB Tyler Sharp (6-1, 195), Dothan, Ala.

(Dothan HS)

n DE Colton Shaw (6-4, 265), La Ronge, Saskatchewan (St. Petersburg Catholic)

n LB Dylan Shelmire (6-1, 220), Zachary (Zachary HS)

n OL Grayson Zepp (6-3, 290), St. Petersburg, Fla. (St. Petersburg HS)

n WR Sebastian Easley (6-3, 170), Kennesaw

Ga. (North Cobb HS) n Dayshawn McGee (6-2, 185), Biloxi, Miss. (Copiah-Lincoln CC) Nicholls (includes transfers)

n OL Thomas Ashe (6-4, 310), Pascagoula, Miss. (Pascagoula HS)

n OL Raymond Johnson (6-3 270), Ocean Springs, Miss. (Ocean Springs HS)

n OL Trace Wegmann (6-3 300), Kossuth, Miss. (NEMCC)

n OL Cylis Hill (6-6 330), Houma (Vandebilt Catholic)

n OL Cooper Taylor (6-6 275), Clinton (Silliman HS)

n TE Parker Smith (6-5 225), Ashville, Ala (Ashville HS)

n WR Chantz Babineaux (6-1 185), Carencro, (Carencro HS) n WR Isaiah Leblanc (6-2 180), Breaux Bridge, (Breaux Bridge HS) n RB Patrick Gales (5-9 175), Brusly (Brusly HS) n DL Grant Merritt (6-3 285), Richmond, Texas (William B Travis HS)

n DL Lionel Williams (6-3 240), Hazlehurst, Miss. (Holmes CC)

n DL Romeo Brown (6-3 245), New Orleans (Edna Karr HS)

n EJ Segrest LB (6-1 225), Terry, Miss. (Holmes CC)

n LB Kevin Martin (6-1 200), New Orleans (Edna Karr HS)

n LB Charlie Diedrich (6-1 235), Thibodaux (E.D. White)

n DB Skylar

AREA COLLEGE FOOTBALL SIGNEES

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

UL cornerback Justin Agu returns a fumble 70 yards for a touchdown against Appalachian State on Oct. 12, 2024, in Lafayette. Agu, a Prairieville native, transferred to Louisville last season before coming to Tulane

THE VARSITYZONE

TwoSt. Augplayers Southern-bound

BY SPENCERURQUHART Staff writer

Vashaun Coulon proved himself as St. Augustine‘s startingquarterbackdespite being undersized, and he’snow set to play theposition at the Division Ilevel.

The 5-foot-11 Coulon signed with Southern on Wednesday asone of five St. Augustine college signees. Coulon andSt. Auglinebacker

Chad Jones Jr., the son of former LSUfootball and baseball standout Chad Jones, signed with Southern Defensive lineman Ty Dominque signed with UL in early December but was part of Wednesday’sceremonysince thePurple Knights’ football seasonwas ongoing when he signed. The Purple Knights went on to reach the state title game for the first time in 46 years.

Marshall Faulk.

“I’m gratefulfor the opportunityand am ready to get out there in Baton Rouge,” Coulon said. “It’s ablessing to have a(Pro Football) Hall of Famer at the head job. I’m going to get all Ican from him and gain his knowledge.”

Faulk, aformer Carver star,took theSouthern job in December Jones,a linebacker,starred in thestate title game against Edna Karr,recording 16 tackles and had a90-yard interception return fora touchdown.

“It feels great (to sign with Southern),” Jones said. “I’ve been waiting for this momentmywhole life. Ilove the coaches; Ilove the program.”

Dominique, St. Aug’stop defensive lineman, can playatend or tackle.Hechose the Cajuns over Texas Stateand otherDivisionI schools as he opted to stay close to home.

Charlotte subdues Tulane women

GreenWavesuffers

poor shooting night

BY DARRELL WILLIAMS Contributing writer

Tulane played good defensein itsAmericanConferencegame against Charlotte on Wednesday Problemwas, Charlotte played better defense in subduing the Green Wave 47-44 at Devlin Fieldhouse.

Tulane (8-13, 3-6) lost its third consecutive game, the past two at home, and five of its past seven. Charlotte (10-13, 4-6) had entered the gameonathree-game losing streak.

Jonescomes off benchto lift Rummel

BYSPENCERURQUHART

Staff writer

Rummel sopho more

Ja’Marcus Jones came off the bench to score ateam-high 16 points in a64-58 win over Warren Easton on Tuesday night at Easton.

Seven of Jones’ points camein thefourthquarter of agamethat was close for much of thenight Rummel led by three points at halftime, but Easton went on a 15-0 run in the fourth quarter to take a10-point lead.

Rummel countered with a9-0 run to get back within one point andtook the lead with less than two minutes remaining.

“WarrenEastonplayedvery well,” Rummel coach Scott Thompson said.

“I knew that it was going to be agame of runs, and we had to maintain focus.Ithought in the fourth quarter, thedefense was alittle bit tighter,and we continued to attack also on the offensive end.”

AJones basket gave Rummel the lead in the closing minutes, and he made the last shot of the game. He also had four rebounds and asteal.

“I just cameout hungry,humble and anticipating the game,” Jonessaid. “(Easton’s) defensive intensity was really good, so we just played hard and kept fighting to win.”

Severalsophomoresplayed well for Rummel, including 6-foot-6 post player Felton Chest with 10 points and ateam-high 11 rebounds, and Ronald Navarrewith nine points.

Rummel sophomoreMichael Higgins finishing with seven points off the bench. Joe Morgan added six points and team-high four assists.

“Wewereplus-12ontheboards tonight; that’s huge,”Thompson said.

“Joe Morgan was thespark that got us back in the game. He got us headedinthe right direction in that fourth quarter.”

Rummel senior Harrison

Chatagnier finished with 10 points to go with three assists and two steals, and senior Brandon Melancon added four points and two rebounds.

Easton juniors Ronald Craige and Austin Johnson scored 13 points each.

Craige scored 11 of his points during Easton’s15-0run

Rummel (15-8, 2-2 9-5A) entered the night ranked No. 11 in Division Iselect power rankings. Up next game is ahome district matchup against No. 1

John Curtis on Friday Easton (12-12, 1-3) will be back at home Friday against Brother Martin.

SelectedasThe Times-Picayune All-MetroOffensive Playerofthe Year,Coulon finishedwith3,165 yards passing,588 yards rushing and 50 total touchdownsasasenior.Hereceivedanoffer from Southern in December and com-

“I’m very happy for these young men,” coach Robert Valdez said. “Southern is goingtoget tworeal quality young men. They’re guys that are hungry and have tasted success and want more of it,soit’s exciting. It’sagreat day for us at St. Augustine.” Coulon led acomeback drive in the closing seconds of asemifinal matchup against John Curtis and completed atouchdownpassto give St. Aug the lead as timeexpiredina31-29 win.

mitted shortly after

“I couldn’thave done it without my guys,”Coulonsaid. “It’salwaysheart over height. I’mgoing to workhardand not let anything stop me from doing what Iknow I can do.”

Coulon is one of severalSouthern signees from theNew Orleans area recruited by first-year coach

“(UL)isagreatprogram, and I’mjust happy to be apartofit,” he said. “It’sclose to home, and I feel like Ihavea great opportunity to play over there.”

Running back Keith Hill (LouisianaChristian) and safety Clinton Hill (Lane College) also signed Wednesday

Email Spencer Urquhart at surquhart@theadvocate.com.

Tuesdaynight’s game

PATRIOTSPREVAIL

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

High school basketball at its best is played before an overflow crowd with two state-contending teams fightingfor first place in the district. That wasthe setting for John Curtis and St. Augustine on Tuesday

What seemed to be acomfortablelead for Curtisinthe fourth quarter tightened in the finalminutes. Awould-be tying 3-pointer bounced twice off the rim, and the hostPatriotsprevailedwitha 45-38 victory.

“It’skindofwhat high school basketball should be about,” Curtis coach Biko Paris said about the standing-room only crowd.

Curtis won with 6-foot-4 sophomore JonnieWalker scoring a team-high 11 points as eighth grader Tory Walker hit two key 3-pointers in thethird quarter.For St.Augustine, 6-6senior Ja’Vardis Brazile scored 15 points.

Curtisled by 11 points in the fourth quarter, butSt. Augustine chipped away enough forjunior Aaron Miles to attempta3-pointer thatwould have tied the score.

Curtis seniorAutrail Manning came down withthe rebound and gotfouled with 12.1 seconds left. He went to the lineontwo separate trips in the finalstretch andmade

“Weknew

all four free throws.

Thewin gave Curtis (21-2, 4-0), at No. 1inthe Division Iselect power ratings, sole possessionoffirst place in District 9-5A with three district games remaining.No. 3St. Augustine(23-3,3-1), thereigning state champion, is tied with Edna Karr for second place.

Curtis beat St. Augustine for the second timethis season after the teams met in thefinal of theHannan holiday tournamentinDecember Twotechnical foulcalls against Curtis inside thefinal threeminutes put St. Augustine in position for apossible comeback. Miles twice went to the lineand made both foul shots, includingthe secondtime with 24.3 seconds left after aCurtis player got whistled forsteppingintothe floor without gettingchecked in. Thesecondtechnical foul gave St.Augustinepossession with a chance to draw even.

“I’mproud of this group,”St. Augustine coach Wade Mason said. “Theycould havelaiddown. They cut it to four, gotitback to nine again, cutittothreeand we hada

shot that Aaron Miles would make eight out of 10 times.”

The lead changed seven times in thefirst quarter until Curtiswent ahead for good whenToryWalker madeapair of free throws for a 14-13 lead after getting fouled on a put-backattempt late in theperiod.

Curtisallowedonly four points in thesecond quarterand stretched the lead to 26-17 by halftime. The lead reached double figures as Tory Walkermadetwo corner 3s in the third quarter

Jonnie Walkerhad six rebounds andtwo blocked shotstogoalong withhis double-figure scoring effort before he fouled out with 55.3 seconds left

“Wehavea special group and we’re coming together andwe’re working it out —and it’saperfect time to do it,” Jonnie Walker said.

Even with alarge leadinthe fourth quarter,Paris said he was not surprised the score get close at the end.

“They’re going to play hard,” Paris said about St. Augustine. “They’regoing to defend. They’re going to be scrappy.And like you can see, they’re nevergoing to give up or back down or throwin thetowel.Weknewitwould be hard.”

ContactChristopher Dabe at cdabe@theadvocate.com

“I’m very disappointed,” Tulane second-year coach Ashley Langford said. “Charlotte deserved to winthe game. We did not deserve to win the game. We didn’tcomeout with focus. Thisisthe most disappointing I’ve been in five years as ahead coach.”

The Green Wave had 21 turnovers, which went hand in hand with its 18-of-52 shooting —4of 18 on 3-point attempts —inits offensive famine.

Still, the Wave had achance to winoratleast tie, forcinga turnover with 8.5 seconds remaining andtrailing46-44. However, Charlotte guard Tanajeh Haynes swipeda pass by Tulane forward Jayda Hayesinthe Wave forecourt and passed to Princess Anderson, whowas fouled. Anderson made the first free throw and missed the second, but the buzzer sounded as the teamsfought forthe rebound. Tulane finishedwith34.6% shooting. However,that was aftershooting7of13(53.8%)inthe fourth quarter.The Green Wave shot 11 of 39 (28.2%) through the firstthree quarters, including 1 of 14 on 3-point tries.

Center Dyllan Hanna, comingoff aseason-high 23 points vs Temple on Saturday,led the Wave with14pointsand six rebounds, and forward Jayda Brownhad 14 points. Tanajeh Hayes led Charlotte with 17 points, and center Asianae Nicholson had 10 points and agamehigh 13 rebounds.

“Wehad lost games by playing afraid at the end,” Charlotte coach Tomekia Reed. “We played hard to the end. We came in wanting to apply pressure, pressure, pressure the whole game.”

The Niners led 33-27 at the end of the third. However,Anderson sank two jumpers and Nicholson had aputback fora39-29 lead at the 8:16 mark, the first 10-point lead of the game.

Tulane started out in the deep freeze again in trailing 25-19 at halftime. The Wave 27.6% (8 of 29) in thehalf and turned theball over 13 times.

However,the Wave defense kept in it close and closed aseven-point deficit at 2:30 of the first quarter to 18-17 with 4:01 leftin the second. Charlotte thenwent on a7-0 burst to shoot out to a 25-17 margin.

Charlotte took advantage of Tulane’s turnovers andpoor shooting —the Wave madeone of its first 10 shots —inrunning to an 11-4lead. Hanna scored eight of the Wave’sfirst 10 points, then Daniel scored after asteal and followed that with a 3-pointer on the next possession to bring Tulane to within 16-15 at the 5:21 markofthe second. Anderson led all first-half scorers with 11 points.

Tulane next will play at South Florida on Saturday and then return home Tuesday to faceEast Carolina.

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Oubre defends during

in District 9-5A.

STAFF FILEPHOTO By BRAD KEMP

St. Augustine quarterback Vashaun Coulon led St.Augustine to its best season since 1979 with several clutch performances along the way. The Southernsignee passed for 3,165 yards and 40 touchdownsand rushed for 588 yardsand 10 more TDs.

Five Purple Knights sign with colleges

Retooled LSUsoftballstill boasts veteranleaders

BY JIM KLEINPETER Contributing writer

LSU softball coach Beth Torina had some significant rebuilding to do with her program in the offseason.

The batting order,pitchingstaff andcoachingsetupgotanoverhaul but so did the leadership structure.

Torina had the team elect captains for the first time in several years, and she’s stoked about the trio of leaders who will guide her team into the season that beginsThursday in the Tiger Classic.

LSU faces North Carolina State at 6p.m. at Tiger Park.

Firstbaseman Tori Edwards, catcherMaci Bergeron and center fielder Jalia Lassiter are perfect fits on a scaled-down roster that Torina thinks is smaller but deeper,and far more versatile.

“When your best players arealso the best examples of the standards of your program, you’re in really good shape,” Torina said. “We have aunique opportunitytodo that this year.”

Bergeron, one of three Louisiana natives on the roster,was especially touchedbyher selectionas captain after abreakout offensive season in 2025 when she batted .364 with nine homers and 49 RBIs.

“It’sagreat honor,especially as

KNOX

Continued from page1C

housing that restlessness. The idea firstcame from agym teacher.Knox’selementary school was running atrack meet for its younger students one weekend when she was in the third grade. Knox should sign up, the teacher said. So she did.

“And she won all nine events,” Jordan said. “First place. Without even ever doing anything in track. So Iwas like, ‘Oh shoot.’ ” About adecade later,Knox is still wowing folks with her athleticism. She’sonly afreshman on the LSU women’sbasketball team, but she’salready carved out asignificant role for the No. 5Tigers (21-2, 7-3 SEC), who will need hertokeep showcasing her speed, strength and tenacity at 8p.m. Thursday when they go on theroad to play No. 4Texas(ESPN).

Knox, ahigh-profile recruit from Las Vegas, is starting to figure out the SEC. She scored only 2.8 points per game on 30%shooting in LSU’s first four league contests. In the last five, she has scored12ppg and converted 24 of 33 field-goalattempts (73%).

That hyper-efficient stretch allowed Knoxtobegin February as one of only 10 Division Iplayers who take at least five shots per game with afield-goal percentage higher than 65%.

Knox’sathleticismsetsherapart. She can blockshots.She can run the floor and handle the ball. She can dunk. And yes, she canfinish

SAINTS

Continued from page1C

become the initial first-ballot Hall of Famer in franchise history

“I know he’s going to get in,” Shough said. “He’sthe G.O.A.T He’sthe pinnacle of thequarterback position. For me,asa quarterback, it’s exciting to seebecause Iknow what he’s meant to the city (of New Orleans).” Shough said he plans to organize offseason workouts with some of his Saints teammates and Brees this offseason near theformer Saints quarterback’s home in San Diego. He said he contacted Brees during the season to pick his brain for counsel and tips about his weekly routine and preparationregimen. He has studied game tape of Brees from his playing daysin NewOrleans and marveled at his leadership skills, field generalship and command of theoffense.

“The first thing that caught my eye was his ability to collectively unify people,whether it’swith pregame speeches or whatever,” Shough said. “Then to watch him during games, clicking through

aLouisiana nativeatthis place,”

said Bergeron,a Rayne native who is considered one of the top defensive catchers in the nation.

“Itpulled agoodspace in my heart.

Igot alittle emotionalwhen they announced it.

ä NC State at LSU 6P.M.THURSDAy,SEC NETWORK+

Torina said even as afreshman, Edwards led by example with her attitude and work habits.

“It washow she carried herself,” Torina said. “She’svery professional. She has everyone’sbest interest in mind. She’s somebody they want to emulate.”

Lassiter joined theteamasa transfer from Ole Miss last year andclosedout the season as the team’s hottest hitter Torina is eager to see whatsome addedright-handedpower and a seven-member pitching staffcan produce. She never announces herstarting pitcher,but it would be asurprise if it isn’tleft-hander JaydenHeavener,whothrewaperfect gameinher college debut last season and is now the staff ace. Heavener hadsomecontrol issues with 77 walks, 27 hit batters and 15 wild pitches in 1192/3 innings last year but she also struck out 152.

“When people think of her,that’s (control) what they think is her kryptonite,” Torina said. “She had someofthose moments last year, but she also had somemoments of the best pitching we’ve ever seen in this ballpark. She’sthe leader of this staff.

“I’m excited to lead this team the best way Ican. Icome from a small town.Ididn’tknowwhenI was younger that Icould reach this part of mylife. It was adream of mine to be acaptain for this team and play for this school.”

through contact,asshe did early in LSU’s win overAlabama on Sunday.Toscore the Tigers’ first points,she swiped an offensive rebound and muscledthrough afoul, banking in asecond-chance bucket that impressed coach KimMulkey.

“I said, ‘That was guy-like,’ ” Mulkey said.“ ‘Guysdothat.’ AndI was like, ‘Godblessed that woman, that girl with something. Thatwas crazy.’ Full-speed ahead like that and get an and-onelikethat?

“She justhas that talent. She has that body.”

Knox’sfather,Daryl Knox, was a defensive end who played college football at UNLVand spent two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’sstill the Rebels’ career sacks leader 40 years after hiscollegiate career ended.

The explosion Daryl Knox once used to chase quarterbacks now shows up when his daughter takes the floor

The 6-foot-2 Knox is the only LSU player who candunk. She’s neverthrown one down in agame, butshe hasinpregame warm-ups and in the friendlyconfines of an emptygym thisseason. Her hands are wide enough to palm the ball. Her armsare long enough to reach above therim.Her one-leggedleap is high enough to give herthe lift she needs to flush one.

Knox first dunkedinthe backyardwhen she was12or13years old,Jordansaid.Shestartedhoning the skill ayear or two later,when shebegan working witha Las Vegas-based trainer named Mike Josserand.

“Yeah,she’sdifferent,” Josserand said. “The one thing

Edwards turnedinto an offensive star as aredshirt freshman with team-bestsof18homers with 73 RBIs.Her .383 batting average was second on theteam. She was named aFreshman All-American and is apreseason All-American this season.

“There is alot that comes with being aleader,” Edwards said.

“It’shard at times. I’m mentally preparing forthatasthe biggest challenge. I’mata comfortable spot now

“My goal was to not get complacent. Iknowthere are always thingsI canget better at. Keep it simple and not overwhelm myself That’sbeengoing good so far.

North Carolina State is coached by former LSUassistant Lindsay Leftwich, whoworked under Torina for 12 seasons and waspart of four College World Series teams. She hasa 55-52 record in two seasons. The Wolfpack’stop returning players are senior catcher HannahChurch, who batted .329 with 19 homers and 53 RBIs last season, andsophomore shortstop Kendall Simmer (.316, 13-35).

before moving on to avolleyball.

“Her jumping wasn’tnearly clean enough, smart enough,” Josserand said. “But those are the things that Iworked on to make it to where she could at least do what you see her do now.”

Knox didn’tlearn how to dunk just for fun. Working on the skill added an inch or two to her vertical leap,whichinturn elevated some of herother skills.Because she could jumphigher,itwas easier for her to finish layups, grab rebounds andblock shots when heradvantagesinheight,lengthand athleticism shrunk during hertransition to college basketball.

By the timeKnox started playing forcoach Stan Delus as ajunior at Etiwanda HighSchool in RanchoCucamonga,California,she hadharnessedher athleticism to the point she could anchor a state championshipteamrun by acoach who’s aself-described stickler forrebounding and defense. Just like Mulkey

about Graceislike,ifwehavegirls and guys in thesession, Iwould rather put her up against the guys allthroughout high school because that’sthe toughness level that she has. If the girls will playagainst thegirls,and then the guys will play against the guys, but Grace will playagainst the guys usually because she’sjust that good.”

In her sessions with Josserand, Knox worked on all of the skills every high-level player tries to perfect.Ballhandling. Shooting.

“He wasalready the commander in chief of one of the best passing offenses the leaguehad known,but what Ididn’tknow washow wewouldconnect as teammates. Igot there, but Igot exponentiallybetter at my craftbeing in New Orleans. Those three years gave me an opportunity to play more the rest of my career.”

BEN WATSON, former Saints tight end

his reads andfinding positive plays and check-downs, it’simpressive to watch. As aquarterback, yourealize how special he is.”

Shough wasn’t theonly one here celebrating Brees’induction. Twoofhis former teammates, DemarioDavis andBen Watson, also championed his candidacy during interviews at the Super Bowl LX media center

“There’sonly one Drew Brees,”Davis said.“No.9— the greatest to ever do it. Youcould be talking all day about his accolades, and what he’sdone as apasser.Idon’t knowifthere’ll ever be apasser that does the amountofthings in agame that he wasable to do in his career, overcominga rough injury early in his career to go on to have the type ofHall of Fame

career that he did, the way he liftedthatfranchise. It’s just not enough good wordsthatcan be said abouthim. Davis teamed with Brees in New Orleansfor the final four years of his career.During that time,the Saints wonfourdivision titles andrecorded doubledigit wins each season. Davis said Brees was arolemodel for him andhis teammates.

“The type of man he is, the type of leader he is,the type of husband andfather that he is, the type of community champion that he is, he did everything the right way,” Davis said. “It’s astorybook ending for him to be able to go into the Hall of Fame.” Watson echoed Davis’ sentiments. The veterantight end signed with theSaintsasafree agentin2013 after nine seasons

Defending. They added dunking to their drills because Knox had the frame, the explosion and the willingness she needed to climbabove the rim.

First, Knoxwould just jump withoutaball—ononelegandtwo.

She’d jump on one leg 40-50 times, Josserandsaid, then try to touch the rim. Only then would she start progressing to the point where she coulddunkabasketball.She’dstart with atennis ball, then graduate to something bigger such as asoftball

with thePatriots andBrowns. He played four seasonswithBrees and credited him andheadcoach Sean Paytonwith resurrecting his career “Hewas already the commander in chief of one of the best passing offenses theleague had known, but what Ididn’tknow was how we would connect as teammates,” Watson said. “I got there, but Igot exponentially better at my craftbeing in New Orleans. Those three years gave me an opportunity to play more therest of my career.”

Watson,who playedwith Tom Brady forseveral years in New England,said Brees deservesto be ranked amongthe game’salltime greats.

“Whenyou look at hisbody of work,athow excellent he wasat hiscraft,and then outside of that, what he meant for the city and also what he meant for just the National Football League, that’s whyhe’sgoing into the Hall of Fame,” Watson said. “Drew led by example,every single play, every single practice. When youlookat this body of work in that offense andwho he is andwhathe’sdone outsideofthe game. He’llalways be oneofthe top players of alltime in my book.”

“I knew that she had alot of promise,” Delus said. “You could tell by the wayshe jumped and theway she moved,her athleticism wasoff the charts at ayoung age.”

Knox’smom figuredthat out pretty quickly.It’swhy she put her in track, then basketball, to findanoutlet for that youthful energy she now infusesinto LSU games.

“Of course, she was like ahead taller than everybody,” Jordan said, “and she didn’tknow any of therules. She wasjustout there going crazy with the ball, shooting and running.”

DAVIS

Continued from page1C

stop. Our work in the community will neverstop in NewOrleans.” Saints general manager Mickey Loomis told reporters at the Senior BowlinMobile, Alabama, last week thathewants Davis back in New Orleans.

“WeloveDemario,” Loomis said. “… Ihopehe’sback, but we’ll get through that.” Davis will attend the NFL Honors show on Thursday night, where he is the Saints’ nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award. It’sthe third time Davishas beennominated forthe honor, which recognizes players fortheir charitableendeavors in the community Davis and wife Tamala’sDevoted Dreamers Foundation has become his primary off-fieldfocus during his tenure in NewOrleans. The organization works to improve the lives of local youth by helping them grow spiritually, mentally and physically “New Orleans is homefor me,” Davis said. “It’sanincredible city that has loved my family so well, and we love it back.”

PHOTO By PATRICK DENNIS

LSU forward Grace Knox is defended by Ta’Mia Scott, left,and Jessica Timmon, right, of Alabamaasshe takes ashot in the first halfofLSU’s 103-63 win over Alabama on Sunday in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center

Bergeron Edwards

Lassiter

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU catcher MaciBergeron catches astrikeagainst Charlotte in the second inning on Feb.7 at TigerPark Bergeron, aRayne native, was named team captainthis season.

Wizards acquire Davis, ending his run with Mavs

BY SCHUYLER DIXON AP sportswriter

DALLAS The Washington Wizards acquired Anthony Davis in an eight-player trade with the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday that includes draft picks for the Mavericks.

The move is a signal that the Mavericks are moving on from the widely criticized trade that sent superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for a package headlined by Davis last year

Former general manager Nico Harrison, who was fired by Dallas in November, engineered the middle-of-the-night deal that angered fans. Trade speculation had surrounded Davis ever since Harrison was let go after a slow start to the season.

The Wizards are sending Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham and Marvin Bagley to the Mavericks along with two first-round draft picks and three second-rounders

Washington is getting three guards from Dallas in Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell and Dante Exum.

The Wizards have made a stark shift recently from their rebuild after losing 67 and 64 games the past two seasons. Washington traded for Trae Young last month and now adds Davis to a group of young players that includes big man Alex Sarr, the No. 2 pick in 2024.

It’s not clear whether Young or Davis will play much this season, which could be for the best given the Wizards lose their top draft pick this year if it falls outside No. 8. Still, a deal like this suggests

Washington is ready to move on from the phase of waiting for lottery luck. A 2026-27 team with Davis, Young, Sarr and other complementary players could be interesting in the Eastern Conference although health is always a concern with somebody like Da-

vis.

The 10-time All-Star has been out since Jan. 8 with a left hand injury and wasn’t expected to return before the All-Star break later this month.

Harrison’s Doncic-for-Davis deal was so heavily criticized be-

cause he took on the big man with an extensive injury history while giving up a generational talent in his prime. Doncic was 25 at the time of the trade. As might have been expected, Davis appeared in just 31 of a possible 84 games over two par-

SCOREBOARD

Central Arkansas 81, North Alabama 60 Houston 79, UCF 55 Women’s state schedule Tuesday’s games None scheduled. Wednesday’s games Old Dominion 72, UL 61 UL-Monroe 81, Georgia State 62 Charlotte 47, Tulane 44 Thursday’s games Alabama State at Southern, 6 p.m. UIW at Southeastern, 6 p.m. Houston Christian at McNeese, 6:30 p.m. UTRGV at Nicholls, 6:30 p.m. Northwestern at Lamar, 6:30 p.m. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at UNO, 6:30 p.m. Alabama A&M at Grambling, 6:30 p.m. Louisiana Tech at UTEP, 8 p.m. LSU at Texas, 8 p.m. Friday’s games None scheduled. Women’s national scores Wednesday’s games

EAST Army 59, Colgate 35 Bucknell 58, American 45 Central Michigan 90, Buffalo 59 Dayton 68, La Salle 60 Lehigh 63, Loyola (MD) 62 Loyola Chicago 47, Fordham 42 Navy 62, Lafayette 46 Rhode Island

THURSDAY’S FAIR GROUNDS ENTRIES

tial seasons with the Mavericks, including the two play-in tournament games he played last season.

The 32-year-old’s ailments included a core muscle issue and a calf strain before Davis injured his hand while defending a driving Lauri Markkanen of Utah last month.

The trade is a big step for Dallas toward making Cooper Flagg the face of the franchise after Doncic.

The rookie No. 1 pick set an NBA scoring record for a teenager with 49 points against Charlotte last week, and the 19-year-old is on a three-game streak of 30-point games, another league first for the under-20 group.

Flagg, who is averaging 20.1 points per game a year after leading Duke to the Final Four, doesn’t turn 20 until next season.

The Mavericks lost all three games on Flagg’s current 30-pluspoint run and are on a five-game skid. Dallas is 12th in the West at 19-31, making it increasingly unlikely that guard Kyrie Irving will play this season. The nine-time All-Star tore the ACL in his left knee last March.

Dallas is likely to miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season since Doncic and Irving led them to the 2024 NBA Finals. Boston won that series in five games.

Harrison traded Doncic believing that Davis, an elite player at both ends of the court, could pair with Irving to keep the Mavericks in contention for several years. Instead, Davis and Irving shared the court just once before Davis exited with an aggravation of his abdominal injury in the third quarter of his Dallas debut. Irving injured his knee less than a month later

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By TyLER TATE

Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis drives to the basket while guarded by Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams during a game on Jan. 8 in Salt Lake City

Warm winter’s chillwith Mexican stew

BY GRETCHEN McKAY

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS)

Husk tomatoes, or tomatillos, are largely grown in their nativesunny Mexico,sothey’re widely available year-round in most major grocery stores and Mexicanmarkets.

Harvested when the fruits are still immature, tomatillos have afresh tangy scentwith hintsof citrus (think limes or green tomatoes) They’re denser in minerals than red tomatoes andalsoagoodsource of fiber and vitamins A, Cand K. Awinter “super food,” tomatillos alsoare high in antioxidants, which help support yourimmune system and boost overall health

Because they pair well withgarlic, onions, cilantro and chiles, tomatillos are turned into green salsas, saucesor jams. The fruit alsoplays astarring role in thegreen version of one ofMexico’s most famous stews,pozole. This one-pot versionofthe Mexican classic pullstogether in aboutanhour. It’smade by simmering shredded chicken and canned hominy(driedcorn kernels that have been treated withan alkali) in aflavorful brothofgarlic, chilies and tomatillos

Iused jalapeño and poblano chiles, but you could swap in serranosfor extra heat. The stew also can be made with shredded pork, and some also like to throwinsome toasted pumpkin seeds for extra thickness and avelvety texture. Traditional toppings includesliced radish and/or avocado,shredded cabbage and asalty,crumbly cheese like cotija or queso fresco

After peeling off the papery husk, you’ll want to give the tomatillos agood rinseunder cool water to remove the sticky sap. For extra flavor,slice and roast the fruit in a400-F oven until soft and slightly charred (about15minutes) or broil for 10 minutes.

Serve the pozole withwarm tortillas; for aheartier meal, add ascoop of white or Mexican rice.

Veggie wraps go forbold with creamy peanut sauce

LIVING IVIN Slice

dinner. Everything comes together in minutes, with no stove time required, making it ideal for abusy evening. The creamy peanut sauce adds bold flavor while the vegetables provide crunch and color,creatinga light yetfilling meal that’sperfect when dinner needs to move at yourpace.

HELPFUL HINTS:

n Depending on type of peanutbutter, be sure to mix the sauce well toform a smooth sauce.

n Look for bags of shredded cabbage in the produce department n Vegetables can be diced instead of cutting into sticks.

Yields 2heart-shaped (or round) pizzas.

1pound ball of Trader Joe’s(or other brand) refrigerated pizza dough (divided in half)

1tablespoon of all purpose flour (to prevent the dough from sticking)

1tablespoon of olive oil (for drizzling)

1can store-bought pizza sauce (I used Muir Glen Organic Pizza Sauce)

2fresh Romatomatoes (thinly sliced)

10 thin slices of small fresh mozzarella (or substitute burrata cheese)

10 leaves of fresh basil (thinly sliced)

of

of

Shakespeare’splay “TwelfthNight”isdeeply connected to the festive atmosphere of the Carnival season.

The opening line of this play is “If music be the food of love, play on.”

Shakespeare knew how music and food invoke all of the senses and connect people. This time of year, we gather on neutral grounds to watch parades, listen to music and break bread, in theform of king cake, together.Itiseasy to see that food is love.

ä See PIZZA, page 2D

Easy (Heart-Shaped) Margherita Pizza

1. Preheat the oven to 475 F. Next, place thepizza dough on aclean, lightlyfloured surface. Divide thedoughinhalfandletit restforabout30minutes. Thedough shouldbeat roomtemperaturesothat it is easier to workwith when forming the pizza.

2. While the dough is resting, prepare the toppings. Slice thetomatoes, basil, fresh mozzarella and grate theparmigiano reggiano. It is fun to prepareall the toppings in advance and put them all in serving bowls to do a“makeyour own” pizza night at home.

3. On afloured surface, add the ball of dough and stretch it into acircle. Use your fingers to gently pressout the doughsothe center of thepizzadough is thin and the outer edge is slightly thicker.For aheart-shaped crust,use one finger to pull down the centerofthe circle and press thedough up to

form aheart shape.

4. Gently transfer the formed dough onto a baking sheet. Place the dough in theoven for about 5minutes. Remove it from the oven and place the baking sheet on aheat-proof surface. Let cool for2minutes.

5. Next, spread athin layerofthe pizza sauce on the pre-baked dough. Then, place the sliced tomatoes, mozzarella and basilevenly on theprepared pizza dough. Sprinklethefreshlygratedparmigianoreggiano. Return the pizza to theovenfor about8 minutes, or until the edges of the

Serves 8. Recipe is adapted from masterclass.com.

3tablespoons olive oil

1largewhite onion, chopped

6cloves garlic, crushed

2poblano chiles, diced

2jalapeño peppers, chopped

1½ teaspoonsground cumin

2bay leaves

Kosher salt, to taste

½pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed and halved

1tablespoon Mexican oregano

¾bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

2(15-ounce) cans hominy, rinsed and drained

32-ounce container chicken stock or broth

Freshly ground black pepper,to taste

4cups cooked and shredded chicken breast

Shredded cabbage, to serve

Queso fresco, to serve

Sliced radishes, to serve, optional

Diced avocado, to serve, optional Lime wedges, to serve

Warm flour or corntortillas, tortilla chips or tostadas, to serve

1. In alarge pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering.

2. Add the onion, garlic, poblano peppers, jalapeño peppers,cumin andbay leaves and saute until the onions are tender,about 5minutes Season to taste with salt.

3. Transfer thearomatic mixture to ablender and add the tomatillos, oregano and cilantro. Puree the ingredients until smooth.

4. Transfer the mixture back into the pot over medium-low heat.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE

5. Add the hominyand brothorstock, stirring to combine. Generously season the brothwith salt and afew grinds of blackpepper

6. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce it to asimmer.

7. Simmer the soup, partially covered, for 40 minutes. Add theshredded chicken and continue to sim-

Gift makesimpression

Dear Annie: We have one son who is married and has two beautiful children. At Christmas time, Igoall out to makesure that Igift the grands thingsIknow they will enjoy and appreciate. We also exchange giftswith my son and daughter-inlaw.This past year it was an Omaha Steaks assortment, which Iknow they love to receive. In addition, I brought my daughter-inlaw abottle of her favorite wine and my son an assortmentofcraft beer along with their favorite Christmas candies. My husband received his gift from our son, an expensive watch engraved with a very sweet and personal message. Iwas then given my gift —acandle from thelocal shop. My son then informed me outofearshot of his dad that he also or-

By GRETCHENMcKAy

mer until just warm,about 5 more minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

8. Ladle the pozole into bowls and serve topped with your preferredgarnishes and warm tortillas.

NOTE: Store leftoverpozole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Pizza with Prosciutto,Arugula and aSunny-Side-Up Egg Yields 2pizzas.

1poundball of Trader Joe’s(or other brand) refrigerated pizza dough (divided in half)

2tablespoon olive oil (divided)

4eggs (divided between two pizzas)

10 thin slices of prosciutto (divided)

1cup of arugula (divided)

1cup shredded parmigiano reggiano 4anchovy filets (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 475 F. Next, place the pizza doughona clean, lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half and let it rest for about 30 minutes. The dough should be at room temperature so that it is easier to work with when formingthe pizza.

2. While the dough is resting, prepare the sunny-sideup eggs in anonstick pan over medium heat.Add 1 teaspoonofolive oiltoa non-stick pan. Once the oil is hot, add the eggs— one at a time —and let the eggs cook through until the white parts areset. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Carefully remove the eggs to aplate and reserve to add to the top of the pizza.

PHOTO By LIZ FAUL

Pizza with Prosciutto, Arugula and aSunny-Side-UpEgg

3. On afloured surface, place the ball of dough and stretch it into acircle. Use your fingers to gently press outthe dough so the center of the pizza dough is thin and the outer edge is slightly thicker.Press the dough out to create athin-crust pizza. Youdonot have to form a perfect circle —all shapes of pizza taste good. 4. Gently transfer the formed dough onto abaking sheet. Addasmall drizzle of olive oil over the top of the pizza crust. Place thedough in theovenfor about5 minutes. Remove from theoven and place the bakingsheet on aheat-proof surface. Let cool for 2minutes 5. Next, spread athinlayer ofoliveoiloverthepre-baked

Continued from page1D

Iwould argue that ahot and savory pizza is one of the most loved foods to share, especially when you make it at home witha heart-shaped crust and top it with favorite flavor combinations. After all, pizza is one of the most popular dishes in the world. And for good reason —itiseasy, fast, affordable and undeniably delicious. At its most basic, aslice of pizza combinesacrispy breadcrust, tangy sauce and savory,stretchy cheese in every bite.The addition of toppings like fresh basil, pepperyarugula and salty prosciutto make apizza into an extraordinary meal that you will want to share with friends this Mardi Gras or on Valentine’sDay with someone special. Last week, Iwas going to meet two friends for pizza in arestaurant,but then we decided that it would be more fun to make our own pizza at home so we would have some more time to catch up on life.

Ilove to cook with friends because they bring new ingredients,tastes and stories to the table. Ihave foundthat this is how the best food memories are made. Food is more than nourishment, becauseeatingand cooking withpeople connects ustosmells, tastes and ideas that carry forward while rootingusto apleasant past. At ourpizza party, my friends shared the simplicity of ready-made pizza dough fromTrader Joe’s. Ilearned that thereare a few options for this fresh dough: plaindough,herb, whole wheat and glutenfree. One bag of dough makes two pizzas, so it is a very economical choice at $1.50 per bag.Weusedboth the plain and herb versions. It is important to plan on letting thedough sit out at room temperature so that it is easy to work the dough with your fingertips to form athincircle, or even aheart shape as Idid Taking the stress out of making ahomemade dough allows more time to focus on creatingpizzas that are topped with favoriteingredientswhile catching up on

crust. Add the thinly sliced prosciutto evenly around the dough. Add the arugula. Gently add twoofthe sunny-sideup eggs on topofthe arugula. Sprinkle the gratedparmigianoreggianooverthetopof thepizza. Return thepizza to the oven for about 8minutes, or until the edges of the crust are golden brown.

6. Removethe pizza from oven. Transfer the pizza to aserving plate or cutting board. If you are an anchovy fan, place one anchovy over each egg. Cut the pizza into slices and enjoy

stories.

Trader Joe’sisjust one option for ready-made fresh pizza dough; there are comparable versions at FreshMarket, Rouses and Whole Foods. Isuggest adding this easy cooking shortcut to your grocery list so there is more time for fun this MardiGras season. With this easy pizza dough hack, thefocus of pizza night becomes your favorite toppings. We made aclassic pizza Margherita with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes,basil and adrizzle of olive oil. My friends made apizza with an olive oil crust topped with fresh arugula, prosciutto grated parmigiano reggiano and topped with sunny-side-up eggs. At thetable, we decided to add anchovies on top of theeggs for an additional flavor boost.Anight with delicious food and good company …what’s not to love?

Liz Sullivan Faul is a registered dietitian nutritionist whoenjoys cooking and sharing mealswith her friends and family

Annie Lane DEAR ANNIE

dered him aWWIIreplica rifle. To say Iwas hurt and humiliated doesn’teven begin to describe my feelings. Iaccepted my giftgraciously and with thanks, but I wascrying inside. Icouldn’tget out of there fast enough and cried all the wayhome. My husband was so surprised by the events that he didn’tknow what to say to comfort me. Ididn’twant him to feel guilty about his gifts, so Iput on my big girl panties and let it go. Idid put the candle on ashelf hidden from sight and any reminder of the hurt Ifelt. Now, months later,itstill stings.

My question is this: Do I forgo any gifts at all to my son and his wife in future? Do Iput my husband in charge of the planning and purchasing of gifts for

them?DoI broach the subject with them of perhaps not doing agiftexchange at all? Ihonestly don’t want to have to deal with that hurt again. —Hurtand Wondering Dear Hurtand Wondering: Giftscarry meaning, and when the effort feels uneven, the sting is real. That said, silent punishmentisn’tthe answer Forgoing gifts or quietly pulling back without explanation may protect you short-term,but it breeds long-term resentment and confusion. The healthiest option is a calm, private conversation with your son. Simply say, “I don’tneed expensive gifts, but Ifelt overlooked this year.” Silence may feel polite, but clarity is kinder in the long run.

Sendyour questions forAnnie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.

Sticky notesfor grocerylists

Dear Heloise: Iuse my lined sticky notes for my grocery lists. Ijust stick it on the buggy handle, and I don’tlose my list or my buggy! —Elizabeth Henry, via email Donating clothing

Dear Heloise: Ijust thought about another place to donate clothing. I went through this when my husband died this past summer.Hewas aprofessional man and dressed appropriately everyday.It was hardtogive away his clothing to just anyone. But Ifound out that many universities have “boutiques” on campus for graduating seniors to check out in preparation for theirfuture jobinterviews. How fabu-

By The Associated Press

Hints from Heloise

lous is this! Idonated his professional clothing to his alma mater,Louisiana State University.How proud he would be to know that his clothing was being worn by another graduate! I know that the University of Mississippi has a“boutique” as well. —LindseyR., via email

Charitynavigator

Dear Heloise: Here’sahint forall whowant to consider making donations. There is awebsite called Charity Navigator (CharityNavigator.org) where you can view ratings and reviewsofcharities and give confidently.Charity Navigator verifies how

TODAYINHISTORY

Today is Thursday, Feb.5,the 36thday of 2026. There are 329 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On Feb. 5, 2020, the Senatevoted to acquit President Donald Trump in his first impeachment trial. Most senators expressed unease withTrump’spressure campaign on Ukraine thatprompted the impeachment,but just one Republican, MittRomney of Utah, broke partyranks and voted to convict. In 2021, the Senate acquitted Trump in asecond trialfor allegedly inciting the violent Jan. 6 siege of the Capitol.

Also on this date: In 1917, theU.S. Congress passed theImmigration Act of 1917 over President Woodrow Wilson’s veto, an act that severely curtailed Asian immigration and mandated immigrant literacy testing.

In 1918, more than 200 people were killed during World WarIwhen the

Cunard liner SS Tuscania, whichwas transporting over 2,000 American troops to Europe, was torpedoed by aGerman U-boat off the coast of Ireland.

In 1971, Apollo 14 astronauts Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell stepped onto the moon’s surface in the first of two lunar excursions.

In 1973, services were held at Arlington National Cemetery forU.S. Army Col. William B. Nolde, the last official American combat casualty in the Vietnam Warbefore aceasefire took effect.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the Family and Medical Leave Act, granting workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for family emergencies.

In 1994, White separatist Byron De La Beckwith wasconvicted in Jackson, Mississippi, of murdering civil rights leader Medgar Evers in 1963 and wassentenced to lifeinprison.

In 2017, TomBrady led one of the greatest come-

Vegetable Wrap

Gassenheimer

(about ¼cup) ¼cup

funds are spent and measures real impact. Ihave used this website to decide which organizations Iwill donate to (where mostof my money supports the cause and not the personnel). —Susan Puretz, via email

Golf club labels

Dear Heloise: While golfing, every once in awhile, one of the guys will leave aclub on or next to the green, or we will find one from aprevious foursome. Please remind golfers to put their address labels on the shafts of the clubs. This way,it’seasy to locate the owner of the club when it’sfound. —Paul Dischert, in St. Louis Sendahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.

backs in NFLhistory,highlighted by aspectacular Julian Edelman catch that helped liftNew England from a25-point deficit against the Atlanta Falcons to the Patriots’ fifth Super Bowlvictory,34-28; it was the first Super Bowltoend in overtime. In 2023, Beyoncé wonher 32nd Grammy to become the most decorated artist in the history of the award. Today’sbirthdays: Tonywinning playwright John Guare is 88. Football Hall of Famer Roger Staubach is 84. Film director Michael Mann is 83. Racing Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip is 79. Actor Barbara Hershey is 78. Actor-comedian Tim Meadows is 65. Actor Jennifer Jason Leigh is 64. Rock musician Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses) is 62. Golf Hall of Famer Jose Maria Olazabal is 60. Actorcomedian Chris Parnell is 59. Actor Michael Sheen is 57. Country singer Sara Evans is 55. Actor-singer Darren Criss is 39. Actor Henry Golding is 39.

PHOTO

PozoleVerde

TNS PHOTO By LINDA GASSENHEIMER VegetableWrap

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb.19) Take the high road and stick to your plans.Don't feel youhavetokeepupwith others. If something doesn't feel right, know enough to take apass. Avoid joint ventures

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) The coastis clear,and you can turn your ideas into something concrete. Keep to yourself and focus on what youmustdo. If you let others intervene, you'll lose valuable time.

ARIEs(March21-April 19) Emotional mixups are apparent. Gatherthe facts, ask questionsand err on the sideofcaution when your heart, health or finances are at risk. Stay calm; choosepeace over chaos.

TAuRus (April 20-May 20) Tidy loose ends and prepare for some downtime to rejuvenate. Apositive mindset will help you separate yourself and your feelings from negativepeople and situations.

GEMINI (May21-June 20) Youare gaining insight into howtobuild the life you desire. Change is apparent, but it's up to you to makeithappen. Be open and willing to engage in activities,events and partnerships

cANcER (June 21-July 22) Home improvementsthatlower your overhead or makeyour life easier or less stressful arewithin reach.Explore your options andrefuse to letanyone talk you into somethingyou don't need.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) You've got this. Get outthere anddoyour thing. Refuse to let anyone daunt or sidetrack you. You

have the goods;now show what you can do. Partnerships, personal growth and gains arewithin reach.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept.22) Discipline can lead to positive change and plenty of knowledge and experience. Converse, expressyour views, debate your case and revive your interest in life, love and personal gratitude and satisfaction.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Step into the spotlight, and shift your attention to leadership, following your heartand manifesting the life you want. Own the day, master discipline andmanufacture success.

scoRPIo (oct. 24-Nov. 22) Wait and watch. Explore how othershave handled situations similartothose you face, and you'll deviseamaster plan you can execute in atimely and auspicious manner

sAGITTARIus (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Stifle your emotions forthe time being. If you get into asquabble with someone abusive or emotionally manipulative, it will eat into time that could be put to better use.

cAPRIcoRN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Choose to lie low, observe and reevaluateyournext move. Achange may be necessary,but how you get from point Atopoint B matters. Opportunity is close by; recognizeyour strengths and take what's yours.

Thehoroscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. ©2026 by nEa,inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

Sudoku

InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 gridwith several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the sudoku increases from monday to sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

CurTiS

By PHILLIP ALDER Bridge

Here is my final deal that wasonthe International Bridge PressAssociation short list for the2012 awards. It features an excellent defense by Shivam Shah (East) and Alex Roberts(West) for England againstPoland at theworld youth championships in Taicang, China.

How did the defense go against five diamonds?

North opened with aPolish Club. It is usually bid with abalanced hand and 12-14 points, but it might be naturalwith five or more clubs and 12-17 points, or it could be any 18-plus pointer. After Shah’s three-heartpre-emptive overcall, South made anegative double.His four-diamond continuation was clearly forcing.

At theother table, the English NorthSouth pair reached five diamonds by North, whichwas unbeatable. After East led ahigh heart, Northcould have taken 12 tricks, but decided on safety first.

Now back to Roberts’ lead problem

Many aWestwould be thinking it was lucky that theopponents stopped short of slam. His hand is dreadful andpartner also announced weakness.

Roberts, though, wondered if there might be away to defeat the contract.

Maybe partner had aclub void. So, West’s opening lead was the club three.

After Shah ruffed, thespotlight was on

wuzzles

him.Howcouldhegethispartneronlead for asecondclub ruff? There seemed to be only twochances:the diamond aceor theheart queen. The first wouldstill be available in amoment, but not the second. East shifted to the heart two. West won withhis queen andgavehis partner anotherruff fordown one. Terrific! ©2026 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrewsmcmeel syndication

Each Wuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOngOOD =gOOD aFTErnOOn

Previous answers:

word game

INsTRucTIoNs: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Wordsthat acquire four letters

ToDAy’s WoRD cAMELLIA: ka-MEEL-yuh: An ornamental shrub withroselike

Can

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

dIrectIons: make a2-to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition. For more information on tournamentsand

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

info@scrabbleplayers.org.

ken ken

WiShinG Well

InstructIons: 1 -Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1thorugh 4(easy) or 1through 6 (challenging) withoutrepeating. 2 -The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner. HErEisaplEasanT

Scrabble GramS

Get fuzzy

jump Start

roSe iS roSe animal crackerS

DuStin

Feb. 5, 2026

don’tmiss don’tmiss don’t miss

offbeatparades

BARKUS: Four-pawed wondershit the streets of the French Quarter for “Wicked &Wagged: Barkus Believes in Change for Good”at1 p.m. Sunday startingatArmstrongPark. First dog Nacho Moreno will be the celebrity grand marshal, with Jo Jo Kravitz as king, DriftTorres as queen and Marshal Gumbeaux as grand marshal. The pre-parade “Pawty” starts at 10:30 a.m., and there are avariety of registration levels to participate. kreweofbarkus.org.

the high seas. kreweoftcheufuncte.org.

MONA LISA AND MOONPIE: Slidell’soldest marching parade celebrates Mardi Gras at 7p.m. Saturday in the Olde Towne section of the Camellia City.

“Mona’sMyths, Legends &Tall Tales” is the theme, withAlex Carollo and Kelsey Fourcade ruling. TheSt. Tammany Parish celebration promotes the arts, the “towne” and good fun. moonpieparade.com.

ABOUTLAGNIAPPE

The Lagniappe section is publishedeach ThursdaybyThe Times-Picayune |The NewOrleansAdvocate. All inquiries about Lagniappe should be directedtothe editor. LAGNIAPPE EDITOR: Lauren Walck,lauren. walck@theadvocate.com

COVER DESIGN: Andrea Daniel

TCHEFUNCTE BOAT: This parade, that really floats,will be “Offtothe Races” at noon Saturday in Madisonville with Carnival-themed decorations on the flotilla. The parade is open to boats that register ($150) andlineupatSalty’s Marina, 117 La. 22. King Archie Tyrney andQueen Amy Gassen Fresh will rule

UNO MARDI GRAS: The long-running campus tradition brings Mardi Gras to MilneburgRoad, featuring student-, faculty- and staff-built floats and a festive route, followed by acommunity gathering at the Alumni and Visitor Center.This year’stheme is “Under the BigTop.” The fun startsat12:30 p.m. Tuesday on the lakefront campus. “Throw me something, professor!” uno. edu/mardigras.

GETLISTEDINLAGNIAPPE

ON THECOVER

CONTRIBUTINGWRITERS: Victor Andrews, JakeClapp, Ian McNulty, Keith Spera, Poet Wolfe

“Put on the dog” (but justthe humans; the only canines will be the owith the crowns) from 6 p.m. to p.m. Friday at the Windsor Court Hotel, 300 Gravier St., with an open bar,hors d’oeuvres, food stations,entertainment, royaltyand araffle; tickets start at $150. kreweofbarkus.org.

Submit events to Lagniappe at leasttwo weeksinadvance by sending an email to events@theadvocate.com.

Photo by Brett Duke. Victor

don’tmiss don’tmiss don’t miss

mardigrasmarket

More than18local vendors are set to help you get paradeviewingready from 5p.m.to9 p.m. Thursday at Miel Brewery, 405Sixth St.Plus, grab abiteofkingcake or other food items. And don’tforget thebrews. mielbrewery.com.

storyslam: love hurts

An open-mic storytellingcompetitionwill be heldat7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Café Istanbul, 2372 St. Claude Ave. Thethemeis“a love that made you go ‘OUCH.’” Hopefuls preparea5-minute true, personalstory and sign up.Orjustenjoy (cringe) the other storiesaboutbad romance and maybe some revenge. Tickets start at $12.50.themoth.org.

ACarnivalSeason ToSmile!

food food food

Have your cake and drink coffee, too

Baker’s ‘whimsical’ Mid-City shop fullfils a long-held dream

BY POET WOLFE Staff writer

Hours before sunrise on a cold January morning, Megan Walker was baking dozens of biscuits, scones and frittatas for the day ahead. She glided a rolling pin over a slab of dough, folding one corner and patting it down as flour lifted in faint dust clouds.

By the time daylight crept in, the pastries and viennoiseries were arranged behind the glass display, waiting for the morning rush that trickled into her Mid-City bakery and coffee shop, The Station.

her brunette hair, indistinguishable from the bakers working beside her

The timer quietly began to beep during the interview — her cue to return to her shift. She clicked it off and said, “I can fudge in a minute or two.”

THE STATION

4400 Bienville St.,

After more than six hours in the kitchen, Walker untied her apron and made her way to a window seat, clutching a pink timer She sat facing a sunlit Bienville Street courtyard, where a morning crowd drank coffee beneath pastel green canopies, and set the timer for 7 minutes — the length of her break.

New Orleans (504) 309-4548

Walker and her husband, Jonathan, opened the shop in 2017 in a building that was once a gas station but had stood vacant for decades. For years, before even meeting one another, both had their eyes on the longblighted property, its pointy shingle roof and circular windows resembling an illustrated page in a children’s storybook.

6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

“It just always looked whimsical,” she said. “Like a fairytale.”

A New Orleans native, Walker has approached baking with virtuosity from an early age, learning the precision of whisking, kneading and folding alongside her mother, who baked at home. By the time she was 10, she knew she wanted to open a bakery of her own.

As a teen, Walker was stuffing cannolis behind display cases of gelato, shaved ice and Italian cookies at Angelo Brocato, where she worked for a decade. She still takes a shift every Christmas Eve.

She goes back once a year, perhaps because it is the only few hours she has available while running her own shop, just down the street. At The Station, Walker is in the kitchen every day, flour smudged on her hands, wearing an apron and a paisley bandana over

They designed the shop with that same vision, painting the brick building a dusty blue-gray with a lavender roof. Inside, near a leather couch and lounge chairs, a bookshelf is filled with novels and covered in sheets of crayon drawings beneath an exposed wooden ceiling. Little trinkets sit on window panes and on a shelf across from the coffee bar, like a dollhouse come to life.

By the time the couple opened the shop, Walker had been baking independently, specializing in sourdough breads, while her husband had spent a decade working in coffee shops across the city. The two combined their crafts into one.

“I always got frustrated that you could either get coffee or pastries,” Walker said. “But it was really hard to find both that were really good at the same place.”

The Station opened as more bakeries began to emerge in New Orleans, a city with a celebrated culinary landscape yet a comparatively thin baking scene, despite the French influence that pre-

vails over its cuisine and culture.

The shop was among the few offering New Orleanians classic breakfasts and baked goods — bagels, donuts and poptarts — while introducing the city to pastries that remain difficult to find locally, like the kouign-amann, Walker’s personal favorite to both make and eat.

Perfected in bakeries across Brittany, France — and in Walker’s own kitchen — the kouign-amann is a laminated pastry with soft, buttery layers set against a chewy, caramelized crust.

Walker’s kouign-amanns have served another purpose during Mardi Gras. For the past four years, she has made a king cake version of the pastry rolled in cinnamon sugars and finished in purple, green and gold crystals.

The Station reimagines the Carnival treat in another way as well: king cake bites, domes of bread coated in festive

as Ana

makes scones, above, at the Station Coffee Shop & Bakery, left, on Bienville Street in New Orleans.

sugars and filled with rotating flavors.

The enclosed pastries were born of practicality, after the bakers grew frustrated that the slices of king cakes often became stale by noon. On Thursdays, the shop still sells a different king cake, whole and by the slice, with a surprise flavor each week.

Instead of the plastic baby hidden in most king cakes, a unicorn figurine is tucked into the layers.

The ingredients for that week’s king cake lay on the kitchen counters — pomegranates, bowls of pistachios and tubs of purple and green sugar sparkling in the sunlight. As the display shelves emptied, the small staff shifted between tasks. Walker folded dough, one layer over another until it formed a pillow, while other bakers piped icing, shaped cookies and filled ovens, moving in her rhythm as noon approached.

Kaila Guillotte, left decorates cookies

Richter

STAFF PHOTOS By SOPHIA GERMER

LEADING THE CHARGE

Thetwo packed weekends of Carnival paradeshavearrived, and theCrescentCityand surrounding areasare readytoroll.

With plentifulparades in week one, it’s as easy as findingaspotand watching thefun unfold.

—VictorAndrews

Ayoung paradegoer sitting atop aladder to watch the 2025 parades is laden withthrowsfrom the Spartan Society,whichrolls Saturdayalong the Uptown route.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETTDUKE

carnival carnival carnival

PA RADE RO UTES ● FRIDAy

Krewe of Excalibur is riding withthe themeof‘Celestial Knights’ thisyear.

WEEK 1PARADES

Friday

UPTOWN

OSHUN: 5p.m. Parades hit the streetsofNew Orleanswith Stephanie and Terrance Osborne as the reigning monarchs of this krewe, celebrating an anniversarywith “Culture, Community& Legacy.” The 16 floats will celebrate all things New Orleanswith grand marshals that include the descendants of thelate Dorothy Mae Taylor, who introduced the city’santidiscrimination ordinance in the 1990s. Throws include avariety of heart images, and the renown Southern UniversityHuman Jukebox band will lead the way

CLEOPATRA: 6p.m. Oneofthe largest organizations in Carnival, the3,200 women will enjoy “Cleopatra’sFriday Night is For theGirls” with more than 57 float units, including signature floatslike the Queen’sBarge, Queen Tutt and Cleopatra’s

FILEPHOTO By GRANT THERKILDSEN

The all-female Krewe of Evein Mandeville is celebrating its40th year on Friday withthe the theme of ‘Culture, Community &Legacy.’

METAIRIE

EXCALIBUR: 6:30 p.m. Jefferson Carnival gets going strong when the 250 members of Excalibur start the weekend that also features Jefferson Parish community’sFamily Gras celebration. Riding 18 floats for “Celestial Knights,” floats will feature “Helios Lights the Way” and “Lunar Omens &Prophecies.” Ruling monarchs are John Vincent Valenza III and Sandra Kruse Nix. Avariety of doubloons will be tossed, including acaptain’s, co-captain’s, an emerald green kreweand silver krewedoubloon, plus several court doubloons. Memberdecorated dragon eggs, ababy dragon plush, Scorch and Skye dragon plush and hand-strung beads and socks will fly

Nile —River of Life, plus the captain’sfloat and the title float, which will feature atandem high-tech unit.Cleopatra LIII is Stephanie Buras. Known for their variety of throws, highlights will include member-decorated beverage glasses plus cups, jewelry,crawfish trays, candles and Cleo the Cat travel pillowsand more.

carnival carnival carnival

PA RADE RO UTE S ● FRIDAy,S AT URDAy

MANDEVILLE

EVE: 7p.m. Celebratingabig anniversary, the women 775 members will be “40 &Fabulous!”on33 floats that will include the Eve Express Train tandem float.Reigning as Queen Eve XL is MelodyMenardand as King Adam XL is Cary Menard. Charter member and former captain Joycelyn Nash is grand marshal. The parade will feature a battle of the marching bands. Silver and red doubloons withthe ruby anniversary theme will be thrown, plus ahostoflighted throws and the fifth in the series of plush bead dogs. Ared mint julep cup willbe thrown,plus a plush Champagne bottle withthe year thekrewe was founded.

Saturday

UPTOWN

PONTCHARTRAIN: 11:30 a.m. The350 women and men of Pontchartrain will feature “Super Pontchartrain!” as the

theme on 16 floats with suchtitles as Super Trooper,Superstition and Super Mario Bros. King Pontchartrain LI is StevenEdward Sloan and Queen Pontchartrain LI is Elizabeth HummelMerino. The krewe will also hold abandcontest. Oneofthe treasured throws will be thePlush Grouper Hat, alongwith asuperhero cape, crawfish traysand superhero T-shirts. Aspecial orange10-gauge doubloon will be thrown.

LEGION OF MARS: Noon. The 600 riders on 21 floats will salute themilitary and first responders, with “Defending Freedom for 250 Years.” A60-foot Tiger float with thenational champion LSUBaseball team, asuper-sized tank with Army veterans, aPurple Heart salute with recipients on board and floats foreach branch of themilitary will roll. Queen of Legion of Mars XIII is Victoria RoseTalamo. Grand mar-

ä See WEEK1, page 8

STAFFFILE PHOTOByCHRIS GRANGER

A float depicts an alligator in the likeness of Cleopatra in the 2025 Kreweof Cleopatra parade.

ABOVE: The Nola Lolas walk in 2025 KreweofPygmalionparade.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIAGERMER

RIGHT: The GeorgeWashington CarverHigh band is reflected in thesunglasses of aparadegoer duringthe LegionofMars parade in 2025.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SCOTT THRELKELD

WEEK 1

Continued from page7

shal is ArmyMaj. Gen. Justin M. Swanson, of the 377th Theater Sustainment Command. The Marine Corps Band will be joined by morethan 15 school bands. The Mars camouflaged “Boonie” hats are special throwsaswell as militaryand first responder-themed throws.

CHOCTAW: 2p.m. The unique Krewe of Choctaw will be “putting on the glitz” when the 200 members present “Choctaw Sparkles with Timeless Hollywood Glamour” on 15 floats that will include the signature traditional Choctaw Chief’s float. Serving as chief will be Troy Serpas, and the princess will be Toni Sisung. Krewe-made decorated tomahawks, rare wooden nickels from the officers and the court, and an Indian head and tomahawk cutout doubloons will be thrown.

FRERET: 3:30 p.m. ”The Pulse of Mardi Gras” is the themefor the morethan 1,000 riders on floats that include Trombone Shorty andBig Freedia andan LED screen float. Members of SonofA Saint will be featured on their own float. King will be Joseph Warren Gerrity IV and Queen is Shannon E. Thomas. Freret will not throw plastic beads, and hand-painted masks madebymembers will be the treasured catch. Also being tossed will be hats, fanny packs, reusable totes, soap, wooden artist medallions and locally sourced itemslike Freret gumbo mix, Freret BBQ shrimp mixand wooden coasters.

SPARTAN SOCIETY: 5:30 p.m. Sparta and the Mystical Order of the Phoenix join fora street pageant that celebrates “Sparta’s Silver Celebration, ADiamond Jubilee,” which will include the women of Phoenix. The 27 floats will include a mule-drawnking’sfloat, chariots bearing Athena and Ares and anew “supersize” signature float with the Greek warrior Agamemnon. A.C. Liles III and Jolie Hopkins reign forSparta. Anniversary itemswill be thrown, including signature float, themeand monarch doubloons and amystery throw to be revealed the day before the parade. Tandem floats will honor the members of Phoenix, whojoined with the knights in 2020. Reigning as Phoenix VI will be Thea E. Narkiewicz. Acutout “black-

bo doubloon, co it ca Gras Br ro tion th fe an titles Wh qu marshal.

nival nival nival

with Isabella BeardenasQueen Pygmalion. The captain, monarchs and the theme will be on doubloonsina variety of colors. The krewewill also throw lighted tumblers and socks.

ST.BERNARD

NEMESIS: 1p.m. The excitementand pageantry of Carnival will arrive in St.BernardParishwhen the Knights of Nemesis rolls through Chalmette. The 330 members will ride on 15 floats. Royal Knight XX Kevin Hoffman and Goddess Nemesis XX Meghan Taffaro McMullin will rule. The knightswill

METAIRIE

throw footballs, foam swords, medallion beads, frisbees, cups, chips and spears. Aspecial throw will be the Knights of Nemesis parade T-shirts.

MADHATTERS: 5p.m. Metairie. Metairie gets merry forMardi Gras along the traditional Veterans Memorial Boulevard parade route with the

Pygmalion

carnival carnival carnival

WEEK 1

Continued frompage9

theme “Alice in Wonderland.”

The 800 riders willbeon35 floats that include such Lewis Carroll-crafted characters as Jabberwocky,Smoking Caterpillar and Mad Hatter

Irma Thomas will be thegrand marshal of the parade, with former Saints runningback Pierre Thomas as The Mad Hatter and Louisiana genreblending country starKaren Waldrup as Alice. Prized catches at the parade include MadHatter hats, T-shirts and lighted beads.

COVINGTON

OLYMPIA: 6p.m. Shrouded in secrecy,Olympia startsthe Mardi Gras seasoninthisSt. Tammany Parish city,but the

crafty krewe keepsthe ruling monarchs asecret,with only thequeenrevealed at the ball.

The 500 members of thecrew will paradeonmore than 30 floats with an unannounced theme this year.Riderswill toss Olympia and lightning bolt-themed beads, doubloons, footballs, cups and more.

Sunday

UPTOWN

38 floats will carry such titles as Femmes Love Carnival, Femmes LoveHappy Hour and Femmes Love Spa Day

FEMME FATALE: 11 a.m. The 1,400 women have one thing to say this Carnival season: “Femmes Just Want to Have Fun!”The

The queen will be Lisa Ballard Jackson, and the grand marshal will be “Queen Tahj” Williams. The krewethrows signature itemsincluding a

The Kreweof Pontchartrain rolls on the Uptown route in 2025.

compact, metal cloisonne bottle opener,ice bucket, golf umbrella, luggage tags, pillows, Teddy bears, dolls, socks and maracas.

CARROLLTON: 11 a.m. One of the oldest parading organizations

ä See WEEK 1, page 16

STAFFFILE

PHOTO By SCOTT THRELKELD

STAFFFILE PHOTO By JOHN McCUSKER

Alargecrowd surrounds the floats during the 2025 Krewe of Mad Hatters processioninMetairie

We t the

It’s Carnival 2026,and HeartBeat is taking the pulseofMardi Gras back to the streets! Nowinits second season, HeartBeat is acolorful dance krewe of healthcareworkersfromLCMC Health’s hospitalsand clinicsacrossthe metroarea.

CatchHeart Beat moving to an 80sbeatinthe followingparades:

Krewe of Freret February7

Krewe d’Etat February13

Krewe of Okeanos February15

carnival carnival carnival

catches Culinary

Pair of tiny paradesinthe French Quarter celebratethe joyoffood, wine

Although food and drinkare key to any Carnival celebration,for twosmall,spirited krewes, they are also the founding principles, channeling the city’s hospitality culture and obsession withepicurean pursuits into delightfulpageants on French Quarter streets.

Cork poursiton

First up is the KreweofCork, awinesoaked marching krewe now in its26th year.Cork parades at 3p.m. Friday following a windingroute throughthe French Quarter,always startingatthe Court of TwoSisters restaurant, 613 Royal St., andending at the Royal SonestaHotel, 300 Bourbon St.

Ian McNulty

There are no floats, but wagonsthat are tended by the “wine police,” stewardsfor theprocession who keep members’ signature goblets brimming.

Spectators line the route,angling for signaturekrewe medallions shaped into grape clusters. Part of the funisdeciphering the wine themes in themarchers’ costumes.

Don’tbesurprised if you catchwinethemed beads from someone dressedas

The KreweofLafcadio parade makesits waythrough the French Quarter in 2024.

aBlue Nun, Champagne foam in female form, wine barrels or mythological gods.

Cork’s king for life, Patrick van Hoorebeck, was once maître d’ at the tiny, elegantBistro at Maison de Ville, a long-gone French Quarter restaurant. In the1990s, he instituted aFriday lunch special that included unlimited wine and drewa circle of regulars

It was called “Thank God It’sCork Day.” On one such day,when therestaurant crowd spilled out intothe streets for an impromptu procession, theidea of theKrewe of Cork was born.

Today,many krewe members workin thehospitality and wine industries, and each year,the krewe invites amajor player in thewine business to be grand marshal.

This year,the grand marshal is Jody Bogle, of Bogle Family Wines, alarge wine label based in Clarksburg, California.

Chefsreign forLafcadio

When theKrewe of Lafcadiohits the streetsofthe French Quarter the following weekend, on Feb.13, the prized

throwsaren’tbeads but wooden kitchen spoons.

Leading the marching parade, the monarchs honored forthe day are drawnnot from high society or celebrity circles but from the kitchens of New Orleans.

This year’sking is Michael Nelson, executive chef at GW Fins, 808 Bienville St., joined by his wife,Carol. GW Fins’ fish butcher Michael Perkins is this year’sduke.

STAFF FILEPHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

They will lead apair of brass bands, acontingentofopera singers and 100 or so costumed marching members through the French Quarter.Some don food-themed costumes, from thevegetables of theCreole “trinity” to Zapp’s potato chip wrappers, andothersare organized in groupslike the souschef brigadeorHostess CupcakeBrigade

The Krewe of Lafcadio begins at 2p.m. at Antoine’sRestaurant,713 St.

Louis St., wends through the French Quarter and disbands near therestaurant.

The parade is named for Lafcadio Hearn, awriter who documented New Orleansculture in the19th century and published aseminal Creole cookbook in 1885.

It’snot the first time that talent from GW Fins has been honored by thekrewe. Founding chef Tenney Flynn rode as

royaltyin2013. Othersthrough the years have ranged from the late Leah Chase to Susan Spicer,ofRosedale; Alon Shaya, of Saba; and Sue Zemanick, now of Michelin-star rated Zasu.

The parade is also afundraiser,using membership dues and other contributionstosupport aNavyLeague program that sends New Orleans chefs to prepare meals for thecrews aboard theUSS Louisianaand USS New Orleans.

The wine-soaked KreweofCork sets out on its26th stroll the French Quarter on Friday.

STAFF FILE PHOTOBy BRETT DUKE

Nelson

carnival carnival carnival

The Krewe of King Arthur is celebrating our countrywiththe themeof‘Cooking Across America: Celebrating America’s250thAnniversary.’

WEEK 1

Continued frompage12

inall of Carnival, the krewe wraps whathas become known as “Carrollton Weekend” with “DateNight.” The 600 men on 23 floats depict Tequila and Togetherness, The Perfect Match and City Lights and Candle Nights. Members decorate white rubber shrimp boots to throw.King Carrollton CII is Marcel Eugene Cambus Jr.Queen Carrollton CII is Faith ElizabethHammons.

KING ARTHUR: 1p.m. Uptown. Thekrewe rolls with the theme “Cooking Across America: Celebrating America’s250th Anniversary” with 1,800 riders on more than 60 pulled units that will include aculinary creations,including Louisiana BoiledCrawfish, Arkansas Duck Gumbo,California Sushi and Hawaii Poi. King Arthur XLIX is Dr.Paul GordonJr.,and Queen GuinevereXLIX is Victoria Alexis Jordon. The krewe will throwhand-decorated grails, a Merlin plush, knight soldier plush and anew colorofbaseball cap. Also look

for Cheesy Korn, scarves,potholders, gloves, spatulas and aprons. Alimitededition 250th USA anniversary doubloon in various colors.

DIONYSUS: 1p.m. Slidell. “Visionaries and Vagabonds” will be this St. Tammany Parishparade theme, with the 300 memberson19floats such as Rockefeller,Carnegie and Vanderbilt. A special float will be theWounded War Heroes float.Dionysus XLI will be Dr Clinton Sharp. Queen will be Camryn Elliers. The costumes are by Christie Frazier Designs. Anthony Corredine will be thegrand marshal. The Royal Escorts, mounted riders, will throw a special doubloon.

ä See WEEK 1, page 18

The MysticKrewe of Music will rollonthe West Bank with the theme ‘Healing Through Music’.

STAFF FILEPHOTO By BRETTDUKE

STAFFFILE PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

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PA RADE RO UTE S ● SU NDAy,M ONDAy,T UE SDAy

WEEK 1

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Monday

WEST BANK

MUSIC: 6p.m. The 3-year-old krewe takes to thestreets of the West BankinJefferson Parishfor “Healing Through Music.” The 350members of this young krewe will ride on 20 floats suchasMelodies of the Heart, Sounds of Strengthand RhythmsofRenewal. Grand marshal for the parade will be Rechell Trinice Cook. Reigning over the festivities will be Music King III Judge E. Adrian Adamsand Music Queen III will be Shondra Williams. Highlighted throws will be pillows, krewe lighted beads and decorated tambourines.

Tuesday

METAIRIE

SYMPHONY: 6:30 p.m. Puttingthe beatstothe

ä See WEEK 1, page 21

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETTDUKE

AMystic Krewe of FemmeFatale float rider tosses throws to the crowd on the Uptown route in 2025.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

The Kipp: EastMighty Eagles Marching Band performs in the 2025 Krewe of Nandi paradeinMarrero

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ABOVE: The MysticKrewe of Druids parades through the streets of Uptown in 2025.

STAFF FILE PHOTOByCHRIS GRANGER

LEFT: Arider tosses a plush toyinto acrowd of chanting revelersduring the 2024 MysticKrewe of Olympiaparade in Covington.

STAFF FILE PHOTOBySCOTT THRELKELD

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PA RADE RO UTES ● WEDNE SDAy

WEEK 1

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streets on the traditional Veterans Memorial Boulevard route, “Symphony Plays the ’90s Hits” will feature the 250 men of the kreweon15floats such as aMariah Carey float andMichael Jackson float. King SymphonyIXwill be Dazmine Whitney Allen, and Queen Symphony IX will be Lauren Nicole McClain. Alighted tambourinewill be one of the special throws, as well as socks and Hershey chocolate Symphony bars.

Wednesday

WEST BANK

NANDI: 6p.m. “Nandi TakesHollywood” will be the theme when the West Bank women’skrewe rolls along theJefferson Parish with 16 floats. Queen

UPTOWN

NandiIII will be Dr.Zeta LynGabriel, and grandmarshal will be Dr.Kiana Dancie. One of the krewe’ssignature throws are teacups.

DRUIDS: 6:15 p.m. The final stretch of Carnival in New Orleansa week before Ash Wednesday,when thesecretive Mystic Krewe of Druids takes to the traditional Uptown route. The 275 men in this parade will ride on 20 floats. The theme and thetitles of the float are secret until parade time. The ruling monarch,the Archdruid, is never revealed to the public though he does ride in the parade. The krewe throws anumber of doubloons in gold, red, green, purple, black and silver.They also throw a goldArchdruid from theArchdruid andpast Archdruids. Alsothrown are wands, wizards’ hats, fanny packs, tennisballs, scarves and lighted beads.

ALLA: 7p.m. “ALLA Shootsfor the Stars!”That’s thethemethe street

procession will feature on 18 floats of acelestial nature, including such titles as Shooting Stars, FlyingSaucers and Star Trek. King ALLA XCIV is Les Leathem andQueen ALLA XCIV is Debbie Kerr-Leathem. Grand marshals are Landon and Kate Bryant and his

Goddess Nemesis XIX Ella Showalter throws beads during the 2025 Knights of Nemesis parade in Chalmette.

wife Kate. The captain and monarchs will have doubloons, as well as the parade themeand several cutout doubloons. Other throwsinclude the ALLAGator neck pillow,stainless steel cups, sustainable throwsand more. —Victor Andrews

STAFFFILE

PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

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YOUR GUIDETOPOST-PARADE CONCERTS ANDPARTIES

Beyond the parades themselves, the2026 Carnival season boasts a slew of post-parade parties with marquee entertainment that are open to the public, for aprice.

—Keith Spera

SATURNALIA BALL

FRIDAY,JOY THEATER

The “mystical and libidinous” Saturnalia Ball promisestobewhere “themythic meets the modern in an immersive, cosmic bacchanalia.”The entertainment roster includes DJs Phlegm and Siren, La Reina, Sailem, Mz. Juno, Lexis Redd D’Ville, Mamie Dame, Eddia Divas, Eddie Lockwood, Lola VanElla, Lauren Mearcat,Santana Cam, Roslynn Aphrodite, Sonika Boom, Zephyr and Gabriel. The event’s promoters are burlesque impresario Vivacious Miss Audacious andthe “drag dynamo” TarahCards. Costumes are “highly suggested.” See the dress code and “mood board” at audaciousnola.com/saturnalia. Festivities get underway at 8p.m. General admission tickets are $34. VIP packagesare available.

SHORTY GRAS

SATURDAY,MARDI GRAS

WORLD

The Krewe of Freret will roll on Saturday with several permanentfloats honoring musicians, includingTroy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews. The parade winds up at Mardi Gras World along the riverfront for theannual Shorty Gras blowout.

EDM star Diplo was originally setto headline but reportedly dipped outfor agig at the WinterOlympics. His none-too-shabby replacement is fellow EDM hitmaker Zedd, who has created hits with everyonefrom Maren Morris (“The Middle”) to Hayley Williams (“Stay The Night”) to Alessia Cara (“Stay”). He’skeptthe partygoing at NBA and NHL all-star events, aSuper Bowl and the Emmy Awards, and will now do so at Shorty Gras. Also performing is TromboneShorty,

PROVIDED PHOTOByANTHONy BERLANGIERI

The electronic dancemusic DJ Marshmello headlines Pygmailion Fest on Saturday at the Convention Center

homegrown rap star Juvenile of “Back That Azz Up”fame.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m.Saturday General admission tickets are $75. VIP tickets are $225. Food and drink are available forpurchase.

PYGMALIONFEST

SATURDAY,ERNEST N. MORIAL CONVENTION CENTER

The Krewe of Pygmalion rolls on a new route this year and has upped the ante forits annual post-parade Pygmalion Fest. It now has amore formal format, with reserved tables, and has moved from its traditional homeatthe Sugar Mill to aspace twice as big inside the convention center.

The krewealso stepped up with a marquee headliner: EDMDJMarshmello, whoperforms in asmiley-face marshmallow-shaped headpiece. The entertainment roster also features the Party Crashers and Rachii.

Tickets start at $135, which includes aseat at atable and the option of bringing your own food, beer and liquor

FREEDIAGRAS

FEB.12,TIPITINA’S

who will team up with the New Breed Brass Band. In 2025, on the20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Shorty and theNew Breed released the Grammy-nominated album “Second

LineSunday” as acelebration of New Orleansstreet culture.

The Shorty Gras show also features aset from Big Freedia, the “Queen of Bounce,”and aguest appearance by

If you’re the Queen of Bounce, there’snotimetorest during the Carnival season. Big Freedia’s“Freedia Gras” at Tipitina’skicks off the big final weekend of the season. In addition to Freedia, the show has the all-female

PROVIDED PHOTO By HUNTER HOLDER

Big Freedia’sFreedia Gras at Tipitina’skicks off the big final weekend of the season on Feb.12.

Zedd

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Original Pinettes Brass and DJ Kelly Green. 10 p.m. Tickets are and fees.

SAMEDI GRAS

FEB.14, ORLEANS AVE.

For decades, the Krewe has prefaced its own parade withthe free Samedi Gras block party on the Orleans Avenue neutral groundnear City Park Avenue. Revelers jamming theneutral ground —bothChads and non-Chads —can groovetoasuccession of local bands. The parade captain and, sometimes,celebrityriders make abrief appearance on the stage around 3p.m. before strolling acouple blocks to board their floats.

AZZTRAVAGANZA

FEB.14, CHICKIE WAHWAH

Looking to amuse yourself while awaiting the Endymion parade on Canal Street? Chickie WahWah hosts its annual “Azztravaganza,” abounce-fueled daylong party featuring rapperHaSiz-

Bounceartist HaSizzle, above,performs Feb.14atChickie WahWah. Bonerama, right,isset to rock Orpheuscapade on Feb.16atthe Convention Center.

zle, DJ Rusty Lazer and the Levee One Sound System. Doorsopen at 1p.m, approximately three hoursbefore the parade rolls.Ticketsare $20 plus fees.

BACCHUSBASH

FEB.15, GENERATIONS HALL

Before theKrewe of Bacchus ar-

rives in theWarehouse District, revelers can enjoy the free “Bacchus Bash”indoor/outdoor block party at Generations Hall. The entertainment for the41st “Bacchus Bash”includes

PaperChase, KARMA, NeutralSnap andDJs Mannie Fresh, Wixx andTax. General admissionisfree. VIP

STAFF FILE PHOTOS

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Esther Rose returnstospotofalbum’s inspiration

BY JAKE CLAPP Gambit Weekly

Around Carnival time in 2024, Esther Rose ended up at Poor Boys to see The Shitty Stones.Rose had moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 2020 after a decade ensconced in New Orleans’ singersongwriter community.But needing “a perspective shift,”she said, she cameback to town for afew weeks to be aroundfriends, work on her forthcoming albumand continue to write music.

ESTHER ROSE

9p.m.

Thursday

Tickets are $18.70 via dice.fm

Rose had been in araw,emotional place, and the crowded ShittyStones show gave her space to“excavate my heart,” she sings on “Want Pt.2,” the closing track to her 2025 album “Want.” She found immediateinspiration for the reflective song in that night at Poor Boys, includingthe profound lyric, “Your heart will keep breaking until it stays open,” spoken toRose by folk musician Gina Leslie.

“I was going througha lot of questions about partnership and what I want from the album, havinga lotof doubts,” Rose said. “Sohearingthat line from Gina in thatmoment felt like atouchstone, somethingI didn’twant to forget.”

GUIDE

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tickets are $100 and include access to an outdoor grandstand to watch the parade, an open bar anda private indoor area with bathrooms. VIP tickets are available at generationshall.com.

ORPHEUSCAPADE

FEB.16, ERNEST N. MORIAL CONVENTION CENTER

The Harry Connick Jr.-led Krewe of Orpheus letsthe publicinto its Lundi Gras ball. This year’sentertainment includes

on Thursday.

“It’slike that paradox that’ssohuman,” she adds, “which is we all want love andtoexperience love, but nobody wants to get hurt anymore… You have to bewilling to put it on the line andget hurt and be vulnerable and expose yourself. That’spart of growing andlovingother people.”

Rose is again spending time in New

Red Hot Revolution, Groove Merchants, theMixed Nuts and Bonerama. TV star Noah Wyle is the parade’smonarch; past monarchs Joey Fatone, Will Forte, Jimmi Simpson, Jonathan Silverman and Jennifer Finnigan are expected to be in attendance.

Attendees of the Orpheuscade at theconvention center must wear formal attire: tuxedos or floor-length gowns. A$225 ticket getsyou areserved seat, entertainment, indoor parade viewing and drinksetups; you must bring your own foodand alcohol or orderitthrough Sodexo. VIP tickets are $375 and includeopen bar and food.

Orleansduring Carnival, playing a show Thursday at Saturn Bar with Thomas Dollbaum and Sundarta.Rose and Dollbaum also will tour the West Coast together in March.

Rosereleased her fifth full-length album, the alt-country record “Want,” in May and earned praise from publications MOJO, No Depression and American Songwriter.The album also landed on Stereogum’slist of 10 best country albums of 2025.

Rose’ssongwriting has always been straight from thegut and the heart. Vulnerability in her music isn’tnew, and the directness has resonated with listeners. But on “Want,” Rose found herself revealing moreofherself in songs tacklingcomplex and emotional topics

She reflectsonher restlessness both in places and in relationships, confronts thecontradictions of what she may wantinlife, and notes the rawness that can come from therapy work.

“Withthis album,Ifelt like Iwas able to feel powerful in my vulnerability,and that felt new,” she said. “I am sharing, vulnerable, laid open, andin that I’m finding this massive strength.”

Rosespends alot of time on the road, but after wrapping up atour for her 2023 album, “Safe to Run,”she was feeling burnt out when she got back to SantaFe. She knew she had to make somechanges, so Roseasked for help

‘THE

QUEENS’: GLADYS KNIGHT,PATTI LABELLE, CHAKAKHAN, STEPHANIE MILLS

FEB.19, SMOOTHIE KING CENTER

Technically,The Queens show is two days after Fat Tuesday. But if youfeel like youneed to be blessedafter abig Carnival, the R&B royalty represented by Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan andStephanie Mills can probably do the job. Tickets start at $96.

Email Keith Spera at kspera@ theadvocate.com.

and hired amanager.She also decided to quit alcohol and dive further into therapy,and alot of that reflection influenced the songs on “Want.”

When it came time to record the album, Rose turned to several New Orleans-based friends, including guitarist Kunal Prakash of the band Silver Synthetic (and The Shitty Stones), The Deslondes’ HowePearson and John James Tourville, and Gina Leslie, who plays bass here. Ross Fabre produced the album and appears with his Video Age bandmate Ray Micarelli on the track “tailspin.” Singer-songwriter Dean Johnson also guests on the duet “Scars.”

“Want” is rooted in country,but with afull band behind her,Rose expands her sound into indie rock and pop. She can ease the energy back, like on the bare, piano-backed performance on “Color Wheel,” and accelerate things with songs like “Ketamine” and “New Bad.”

“I really believe in this album and everything that it kind of took to get to the point of writing these songs,” Rose said. “Joni Mitchell has this quote from when she wrote ‘Blue’ that her skin felt like cellophane at the time of writing it. And Ireally relate to that feeling of being raw in the mostamazing way.”

Email Jake Clapp at jclapp@ gambitweekly.com.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

PROVIDED PHOTO By LEO ROMERO Esther Rose plays SaturnBar

Chaka Khan joinsGladys Knight, Patti LaBelle and Stephanie Mills onstage Feb.19 at the Smoothie KingCenter.

FILE PHOTO By CHRIS PIZZELLO

music music music

Trombone Shorty star-studded 40th birthday show setduring Jazz Fest

BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer

Troy “Trombone Shorty”Andrews, who first becameaNew Orleans musician of note when his trombone was taller than he was, is turning 40 this year.He’scelebrating in abig way

On April 25, the first Saturday of the 2026 New Orleans Jazz &Heritage Festival, he’ll presideover “Shorty Turns 40,” astar-studded birthday concert at the Saenger Theatre.

The show is abeefed-up 10th edition of the “Treme Threauxdown,” which he’sstaged at theSaenger during Jazz Fest for thepast decade.

Guest stars slated to sit in with Trombone Shorty &Orleans Avenue on April 25 includeEric Church, Jill Scott, Leon Bridges, Joan Jett, Mavis Staples, Branford Marsalis, Grace Potter,Irma Thomas, Ivan Neville and George Porter Jr

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday.

Go to shortyturns40.com fordetails.

Shorty has previously collaborated with most of the special guests on the bill.

“Shorty Turns40” is beingproduced by Blackbird Presents, which typically stages athemed, all-star concert at the Saenger during Jazz Fest.

Previous Blackbirdproductions at the Saenger include“The Last Waltz New Orleans:A Celebration of the 45th Anniversary of the Band’sHistoric Farewell Concert,” “Ryan Adams: Exile On Bourbon St.,” “Nevilles Forever: ACelebration of The Neville Brothers and Their Music” and “TheMusical Mojo of Dr.John: Celebrating Mac and HisMusic.”

NINand aClash tributeamong entertainmentoptions around N.O.

Keith Spera SOUNDCHECK

The options for live musicthis week include acutting-edge rock show at the SmoothieKing Center,amodernjazz saxophone star,areunion from the New Orleans NewWave scene of the 1980s andanall-star celebration of theClash.

NINE INCH NAILS

THURSDAY,SMOOTHIE KING CENTER

NineInchNails kicks off the second North American leg of theacclaimed “PeelItBack Tour” at the Smoothie King Center on Thursday.The show returns frontman Trent Reznortothe city he formerlycalled home.

Reznor was abitter,alienated young man when he composed Nine Inch Nails’ 1989 debut album,“Pretty Hate Machine,” which established him as industrialrock’smelodic man in black. He first visited New Orleans for ashow at Tipitina’s.Heeventually moved into a grand Garden District mansion and recorded NIN’s1999 album “The Fragile” and other works at astudio inside aformer funeral home on Magazine Street.

Hispersonal downwardspiral into drugs and alcohol during his decadelong New Orleans residency only made him more nihilistic. He eventually got soberand, after moving to Los Angeles, embarked on asecond, prolific career scoringfilms.

He and creative partner AtticusRoss —now the only other “official” member of NineInchNails —won Oscarsfor their workon“The Social Network” and “Soul,” sharing thelatter awardwith New Orleans’Jon Batiste. On Sept.19, Nine Inch Nails released “TRON:Ares (OriginalMotion PictureSoundtrack),” the first soundtrack that Reznorand Ross have issued under theband’s name

Touring is no longer the priority it

once was for Reznor. Nine Inch Nails delivered an emotional, memorable set at an improvised festival sitealongside the Mississippi Riverjust two months after Hurricane Katrina for the 2005 Voodoo Music Festival. In 2018, the band performed threeconsecutive nights at New Orleans’Saenger Theatre, serving up adifferent setlist each night.

The new tourfinds Nine Inch Nails playing arenas once again. The “Peel It Back” showhas been widely praised for itsinnovative use of visuals and other immersive effects. The emphasis on visuals perhaps reflects how much creative energy Reznor now devotes to writing music for movies.

Boys Noizeopens theshow at 8p.m. Ticketsstartat$62 at ticketmaster.com.

JOSHUA REDMAN

FRIDAY,NEW ORLEANS JAZZ &BLUES MARKET

Across arecording career that spans morethanthree decades, saxophonist Joshua Redman has stood at the vanguard of modernjazz. On his 2023 release“Where Are We,” he for the first timepaired one of his quartetswith a vocalist,Gabrielle Cavassa.He’sclarified thatthe titleofhis 2025 release, “Words Fall Short,” was not in any way a

Trent Reznor returns to the city he once lived in for Nine Inch Nails’stop Thursday at the Smoothie King Center

commentary on the previous album. Instead, “Words Fall Short” finds Redmanstretching out on aprogram of original compositions with bassist Philip Norris, drummerNazir Ebo, pianist Paul Cornish and afew special guests including Cavassa. She lends her voice to the album’s final track, “Era’s End,” which is only the second Redman composition with lyrics to be released.

“It’simpossible for me to will aproject into being,” he has said of his latest album.“This album cameout of aworking environment that inspired me to dig into compositions that hadn’tfound ahomeyet.”

On Friday,Redman and his quartet play two shows at 7p.m.and 9:30 p.m at the NewOrleans Jazz &Blues Market on Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard in Central City.Tickets start at $31. Discounted student tickets are available ALSO AT THE JAZZ &BLUES MARKET:Bluesbased south Louisiana guitarist Kenny Nealplugs in on Thursday

THEMODELS45thANNIVERSARY

SATURDAY,JIMMY’SMUSIC CLUB

In the early 1980s, the Models were afixture on New Orleans’ NewWave/ punk scene alongside the likes of the

STAFFFILE

PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Redman

music music music

Cold, the Dukes and Lenny Zenith & RZA. In 1985, the members of theModels moved to Los Angeles andchanged theband name to Human Drama. As the more goth-leaning HumanDrama, singer/songwriterJohnnyIndovina and his bandmatesreleased albums forRCA Records and other labels and toured extensively.Theybuilt abig following in Mexico that endurestothis day.

After decades of livinginNew York and Los Angeles, Indovinamoved to Mandeville last year.OnSaturday, four of the five originalmembers of the Models —Indovina, Michael Ciravolo, Steve Fuxan andChuck Jung —and drummer Jeff Oteri, filling in for original Models drummer Charlie Bouis, will celebrate theband’s 45th anniversary with ashowatthe new incarnationofJimmy’sMusicClub, 8200 Willow St., in New Orleans. They’ll be joined byseveral special guests from New Orleans’ punk/New Wave past. The billalso includes Glamarama and asolo setbyChristian

PROVIDED PHOTO

The Models were aNew Wave band activeinNew Orleans in the early 1980s that wasfrontedbysinger JohnnyIndovina, right. After moving to Los Angeles in 1985, themembers of the Models changed the band’s nametoHuman Drama

Serpas. Showtime is 8p.m. Tickets are $20plus fees.

INTERNATIONALCLASH DAY

SATURDAY,CHICKIE WAHWAH

ReveredBritish punk band The Clash performedinNew Orleans only once —on June 4, 1982, at the Warehouse. But that doesn’tmean the band doesn’t have adevoted local following, especially among musicians. For the fourth consecutive year,Chickie WahWah will

host the local iterationofInternational Clash Day

The Radio Clash Allstars —Tim Robertson, Rene Coman, Erik Bolivar,Alex McMurray and Glenn Hartmann —and abevy of special guests will perform the Clash’slandmark“London Calling” in its entirety. Scheduled guestsinclude Jon Cleary, Kristin Diable, Erica Falls, Maggie Koerner,Eric Johanson, Ben Jaffe, Helen Gillet, Pell, Paul Sanchez, Lynn Drury and RiverEckert.

Th t G ill

The LastGang in Town will also perform aset of Clash classics. The Last Gang in Town’sall-star lineup consists of DarrenHill, of the Red Rockers; Jon Wurster,ofSuperchunk and the Mountain Goats; TedLeo, of TedLeo and the Pharmacists and the Gang of Four; and David Minehan, of The Neighborhooods and The Replacements.

Showtime is 8p.m.Tickets start at $75.

Email KeithSpera at kspera@ theadvocate.com.